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THE    BOOK    OF    THE    V.C. 


BY  THE  SAME   AUTHOR 


WITH   PIZARRO  THE  CONQUISTADOR 
CANADA:    BRITAIN'S  LARGEST  COLONY 
THE  EMPIRE  ELOCUTIONIST 
STORIES  OF  KING  ARTHUR 


HOW  LOUD  ROBERTS  WON  THE  V.C. 

HE  OVERTOOK  THE  PAIR  JUST  AS  THEY  WERE  ABOUT  TO  SEEK 

REFUGE  IN  A  VILLAGE,  AND  ENGAGED  THEM  BOTH  AT  ONCE. 

Frontispiece.  See  p.  75 


THE  BOOK 

or  THE 

vc 


A  Record  of  the  Deeds  of  Heroism  for  'which 
the  Victoria  Cross  has  been  bestowed^  from 
its  Institution  in   i8s7y   to  the  Present    Tifne 


COMPILED  FROM  OFFICIAL  PAPERS  AND 
OTHER  AUTHENTIC  SOURCES 

BY 

A.    L.    HAYDON 

AUTHOR  OF   "with   PIZARRO  THE  CONQUISTADOR" 
ETC.   ETC. 


WITH  JEN  IWfUSTii^TiVy^'.  : '\ 


NEW  YORK:    E.  P.  DUTTON  &  COMPANY 
31  WEST  TWENTY-THIRD  STREET.     1907 


TO  MY  SON 

ARTHUR  CECIL  HILLYARD 

("MAC") 


CONTENTS. 


CHAP.  PAGE 

I.   THE  OBIGIN  OF   THE  VICTORIA  CROSS   AND    THE   FIRST 
PRESENTATION  .... 


II.    THE  CRIMEA. — THE  BATTLE  OF  THE  ALMA 

III.  THE  CRIMEA. — IN  THE  BALACLAVA  CHARGES     . 

IV.  THE  CRIMEA. — THE  HEROES  OF  INKERMAN 
V.   THE   CRIMEA. — ^WITH   THE   SAPPERS   AND   MINERS. — IN 

TRENCH  AND  RIFLE-PIT 

VI.   THE  CRIMEAN  CROSSES  OF  THE  NAVY    . 
VII.    PERSIA. — HOW  THE  SQUARE  WAS  BROKEN 
VIII.    INDIA. — THE  GALLANT  NINE  AT  DELHI 
IX.    INDIA. — WITH  SABRE  AND  GUN  AGAINST  SEPOY 
X.    INDIA, — THE   BLOWING   UP   OF  THE  CASHMERE  GATE 
XI.   INDIA. — THE  STORY  OF  KOLAPORE  KERR 
XII.   INDIA. — THE  DEFENCE  OF  THE  DHOOLIES 

XIII.  INDIA. — THREE  BRAVE  CIVILIANS  :  MANGLES 

MODONELL,   AND     **LUCKNOW"    KAVANAGH 

XIV.  INDIA.— SOME  OTHER  CROSSES  OF  THE  MUTINY  . 

XV.    IN  THE  SIXTIES.— CHINA,  JAPAN,  INDIA,  WEST  AFRICA 
AND  CANADA  .... 

XVI.   NEW  ZEALAND. — FIGHTING  THE  MAORIS 

XVII.   IN  ASHANTI  BUSH  AND  MALAY  JUNGLE 

XVIII.   HOW  SOME  AFGHAN  CROSSES  WERE  WON 

vii 


1 

9 
16 

27 

34 
45 
67 
61 
69 
78 
84 
92 

102 
112 

124 
138 
142 
150 


viii  CONTENTS 

CHAP.  PAOK 

XIX.    MAIWAND. — A  GUNNER's   STOEY                 .                ,                .  161 

XX.    ZULULAND. — THE     DASH     WITH      THE     COLOURS      FROM 

ISANDHLANA  .  .  .  .  .168 

XXI.   ZULULAND. — HOW  THEY    HELD  THE    POST  AT    RORKE's 

DRIFT               ......  178 

XXII.    SOME  OTHER  ZULU  AND  SOME  BASUTO   CROSSES                .  189 

XXIII.  SOUTH  AFRICA. — AGAINST  BOERS  AND   MATABELE            .  198 

XXIV.  IN  EGYPT  AND  THE  SOUDAN       ....  207 
XXV.    V.C.    HEROES  OF  THE  INDIAN  FRONTIER               .                .  216 

XXVI.   HOW  SURGEON-CAPTAIN  WHITCHURCH  WON  FAME          .  223 

XXVII.    WHEN  THE  AFRIDIS  WERE  UP   .                .                 .                .  229 
XXVIII.   SOUTH     AFRICA. — THE     V.C.'S    OF     THE     SECOND    BOER 

WAR.  .  .  .  .  .  .239 

XXIX.   SOMALILAND— NIGERIA— TIBET  ....  253 

APPENDICES  .....  263-294 

APPENDIX  A.    ROYAL  WARRANTS               .                .                .  263 

,,           B.   THE  FIRST  PRESENTATION  OF   THE  V.C  .  269 

,,  0,    WARS   AND     CAMPAIGNS    IN    WHICH    THE 

V.C.  HAS  BEEN  WON,  FROM  1854  TO  1904  272 

,,          D.    COMPLETE    ALPHABETICAL    LIST    OF     RE- 
CIPIENTS OF  THE  V.C.  .                  .                .  274 


LIST   OF    ILLUSTRATIONS. 


PAOB 

HOW  LORD  ROBERTS  WON  THE  v.c.        .  ,  .   Frontispiece 

THE  VICTORIA  CROSS  ......  3 

THE  FIRST  PRESENTATION  OF  THE  V.C,  IN  HYDE  PARK,  JUNE 

26,  1857 5 

**  I  GOT  HIM  TO  STAND  AT  THE  HORSE'S  HEAD  WHILST  I  LIFTED 

THE  CAPTAIN  OFF "   .  .  .  .  .  .22 

THE  ESCORT  CAME  SWINGING  UP  THE  ROAD  WITHOUT  A  SUS- 
PICION OF  DANGER    .  .  .  .  .  .53 

MCMANUS  NOW  RUSHED  OUT,   ACCOMPANIED  BY  PRIVATE  JOHN 

RYAN   .    .    .   AND  CARRIED  IN  CAPTAIN  ARNOLD       .  ,        98 

REINING  IN  HIS  HORSE,   HE  TURNED  TO   CATCH  VOSPER's  .    .    . 

AND  HELPED   THE   ORDERLY   TO   REMOUNT   .  .  .      137 

WITH  THE  FLAG   .    .    .    FIRMLY  GRIPPED   IN  HIS  HAND,  MELVILL 

SPURRED  HIS  HORSE  FOR  THE  RIVER  .  .  .      173 

GRAVE  OF  MELVILL  AND  COQHILL  .  .  .  .175 

THE  COLONEL  HAD  TO  RIDE  BACK  .  .  .  AND,  WHILE  ASSEGAIS 
AND  SHOTS  SPED  PAST  HIM,  CARRY  OFF  THE  DISMOUNTED 
MAN  UPON  HIS  HORSE  .  .  .  .  .193 

PIPER     FINDLATER    .    .    .    PROPPED     HIMSELF    UP     AGAINST    A 

BOULDER  AND   CONTINUED  TO  PLAY  HIS  PIPES         .  .     236 

THE    GUNS  WERE    REACHED,   BUT  AT    ONCE  BOER    SHELLS  AND 

BULLETS  BEGAN  TO  DROP  THICKLY  AROUND  .  .      242 


PREFACE 


THE  celebration  this  year  of  the  Jubilee  of  the 
Victoria  Cross  may  be  offered  as  sufficient  excuse 
for  the  appearance  of  this  volume.  Such  a  notable 
event  deserves  to  be  fittingly  commemorated,  and  it 
is  in  the  hope  that  it  will  be  accepted  as  a  standard 
work  on  the  subject  that  the  present  book  is  put 
forth.  My  original  intention  of  telling  the  stories 
of  all  the  V.C.  exploits  was  found  to  be  impracticable 
within  the  limit  of  space  prescribed.  A  selection, 
therefore,  has  been  made,  and  these  instances — a  very 
large  number — have  been  narrated  more  or  less  at 
length.  The  history  of  the  Decoration  has  been 
brought  right  up  to  date. 

In  such  a  book  as  this,  accuracy  is  of  course  of  the 
first  importance,  and  in  my  account  of  the  deeds  that 
won  the  Cross  I  have  been  at  considerable  pains  to 
verify  the  smallest  particulars.  To  this  end  the 
London  Gazette  and  other  authentic  sources  have  been 
consulted,  while  in  many  cases  the  information  has 
been  obtained  from  the  V.C.  men  themselves.  It  is 
possible,  however,  that  errors  have  crept  in  despite 
the  care  exercised,  and  I  shall  be  grateful  if  any 
reader  who  detects  a  misstatement  will  notify  me  of 
the  fact,  that  the  correction  may  be  made  in  a  future 
edition. 

A.  L.  H. 
London,  June  1906. 


Muscovite  metal  makes  this  English  Cross, 
Won  in  a  rain  of  blood  and  wreath  of  flame ; 

The  guns  that  thundered  for  their  brave  lives'  loss 
Are  worn  hence,  for  their  fame ! 

The  men  of  all  the  army  and  the  fleet, 

The  very  bravest  of  the  very  brave, 
Linesman  and  Lord — these  fought  with  equal  feet 

Firm-planted  on  the  grave. 

The  men  who,  setting  light  their  blood  and  breath, 
So  they  might  win  a  victor's  haught  renown, 

Held  their  steel  straight  against  the  face  of  Death, 
And  frowned  his  frowning  down. 

And  some  who  climbed  the  deadly  glacis-side. 
For  all  that  steel  could  stay,  or  savage  shell ; 

And  some,  whose  blood  upon  the  Colours  dried 
Tells  if  they  bore  them  well. 

Some,  too,  who,  gentle-hearted  even  in  strife. 
Seeing  their  fellow  or  their  friend  go  down. 

Saved  his,  at  peril  of  their  own  dear  life, 
Winning  the  Civic  Crown. 

Well  done  for  them ;  and,  fair  Isle,  well  for  thee ! 

While  that  thy  bosom  beareth  sons  like  those, 
"The  little  gem  set  in  the  silver  sea*' 

Shall  never  fear  her  foes ! 

Sir  Edwin  Arnold. 


xii 


THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 


CHAPTER   I. 

THE   ORIGIN    OF    THE    VICTORIA    CROSS   AND    THE 
FIRST    PRESENTATION. 

EVEEY  nation  loves  to  honour  the  brave  deeds  of 
her  sons.  We  know  how  in  olden  times  this  was 
done,  how  the  Eomans  conferred  a  "  Civic  Crown " 
upon  the  hero  who  saved  a  citizen's  life,  and  inscribed 
his  name  in  letters  of  gold  upon  the  marble  wall  in 
the  Capitol.  In  these  modern  days  it  is  the  custom 
to  bestow  a  medal  or  similar  decoration  upon  the 
bravest  of  the  brave,  as  a  public  mark  of  appreciation 
of  their  heroism. 

So  Kussia  has  its  Order  of  St.  George,  which  is  con- 
ferred solely  for  exceptional  gallantry  on  the  field  of 
battle  ;  Austria  its  Order  of  Maria  Theresa  (so  exclu- 
sive that  there  are  not  more  than  twenty  living 
possessors  of  its  Cross) ;  Prussia  its  Order  "  Pour  le 
M^rite  "  ;  JFrance  its  Legion  of  Honour  and  War  Medal ; 
and  the  United  States  a  "  Medal  of  Honour "  which 
carries  no  privileges  and  confers  no  rank  on  the  bearer, 
and  which,  curiously  enough,  is  sent  to  the  recipient 
through  the  post. 

Great  Britain's  symbol  of  the  grand  democracy  of 


,^  ::/;;..::;. THE  :BO0K  OF  THE  V.C. 

valour  is  a  little  Maltese  cross  of  bronze,  insignificant 
to  look  at  beside  many  a  more  showy  medal,  and 
intrinsically  worth  only  fourpence  halfpenny,  but  the 
most  coveted  decoration  of  all  that  our  soldiers  and 
sailors  can  aspire  to. 

Somewhat  reminiscent  of  a  badge  awarded  to  the 
28th  Eegiment  after  the  siege  of  Badajoz  in  the 
Peninsular  War, — a  badge  which  bore  a  crown,  a  star, 
and  the  letters  V.S.,  signifying  "  Valiant  Stormer," — 
the  Victoria  Cross  is  adorned  with  a  crown  surmounted 
by  a  lion,  and  a  scroll  bearing  the  simple  inscription 
"  For  Valour."  On  the  reverse  side  of  the  medal  is 
given  the  date  or  dates  of  the  act  of  bravery  for  which 
it  has  been  awarded,  while  the  name  of  the  recipient 
is  inscribed  at  the  back  of  the  bar  to  which  it  is 
attached  by  a  V.  The  Cross,  which  is  cast  from 
cannon  that  were  taken  at  Sebastopol,  is  suspended 
from  its  wearer's  left  breast  by  a  piece  of  ribbon,  blue 
for  the  Navy  and  crimson  for  the  Army. 

Such  is  the  world -famed  Victoria  Cross.  What, 
then,  was  its  origin  ?  For  answer  to  this  we  must  go 
back  to  the  days  of  the  Crimean  War,  fifty  years  ago. 
Up  to  this  time  decorations  for  distinguished  services 
in  the  field  were  very  sparsely  distributed.  The  men 
of  Wellington's  day  were  thought  to  be  sufficiently 
honoured  if  they  were  "  mentioned  in  despatches." 
But  after  the  Crimean  campaign,  in  which  British 
soldiers  did  such  prodigies  of  valour,  a  feeling  arose 
that  some  medal  should  be  struck  as  a  reward  for 
bravery  in  the  face  of  the  enemy. 

Perhaps  it  was  the  Charge  of  the  Light  Brigade  at 
Balaclava  that  inspired  the  idea,  but,  however  this  may 
be,  a  certain  Captain  Scobell,  RN.,  sometime  M.P. 
for  Bath,  set  on  foot  an  agitation  which  at  length  drew 


THE  ORIGIN  OF  THE  VICTORIA  CROSS     3 

the  attention  of  the  authorities  and  led  in  due  course 
to  the  institution  of  the  Victoria  Cross.  The  new 
decoration,  which  by  Queen  Victoria's  special  desire 
bore  her  own  name,  was  first  announced  in  the 
London  Gazette  on  February  5th,  1856.  The  present 
year,  therefore,  celebrates  its  jubilee. 

As  stated  in  the  original  Koyal  Warrant,  which  is 


THE  VIOTORIA  CROSS. 

given  in  full  in  the  Appendix,  the  Cross  entitles  all  its 
bearers  below  commissioned  rank  to  a  pension  of  £10 
a  year,  with  an  additional  £5  for  each  extra  clasp  or 
bar,^  and,  by  a  recent  clause,  an  increase  to  £50  a  year 
in  cases  where  the  recipient  is  incapacitated  by  old  age 
or  ill-health.  Another  important  new  alteration  in 
the  rules  provides  that  if  a  man  dies  in  winning  the 
V.C.  the  decoration  shall  be  handed  to  his  relatives. 
^  No  such  clasp  or  bar  has  yet  been  granted. 


4  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

It  is  the  great  distinction  of  the  Victoria  Cross 
that  it  may  be  won  by  the  humblest  member  of  the 
Services.  "  Linesman  and  Lord,"  private  soldier, 
common  sailor,  Field-Marshal  and  Admiral,  are  all 
on  a  level  on  the  EoU  of  Valour.  Out  of  the  522 
Crosses  which  have  been  bestowed  up  to  the  present 
time  (June  1906),  it  has  been,  or  is  still,  worn  by 
three  Field-Marshals,  six  Admirals,  one  clergyman, 
three  civilians,  and  twenty-five  Army  doctors. 

Furthermore,  how  truly  democratic  is  the  decoration 
is  shown  by  the  fact  that  it  has  been  won  by  three 
men  of  colour — Seaman  Hall,  a  negro  serving  in 
Captain  Peel's  Naval  Brigade  at  Lucknow,  and 
Sergeant  Gordon  and  Private  Hodge,  both  of  the 
West  India  Eegiment. 

Of  the  different  campaigns  in  which  the  Cross 
was  won  the  Indian  Mutiny  yielded  the  greatest 
number,  182.  The  Crimean  War  accounted  for 
111;  the  recent  South  African  War  comes  third 
with  78 ;  while  the  Zulu  War  provided  23 ;  and 
the  Afghan  War  of  1870-80,  16.  In  the  list  of 
V.C.  regiments — excepting  the  Eoyal  Artillery  and 
the  Eoyal  Engineers,  which  have  forty-one  and  twenty- 
seven  Crosses  to  their  credit  —  the  South  Wales 
Borderers  top  the  list  with  sixteen.  Next  in  order 
come  the  Eifle  Brigade  (fourteen),  the  King's  Eoyal 
Eifle  Corps,  the  9  th  Lancers,  and  the  Gordon  High- 
landers (thirteen  each),  and  the  Seaforth  Highlanders 
(eleven).  The  Black  Watch  and  the  Cameronians 
(Scottish  Eifles)  total  ten  each. 

It  is  pleasing  to  note,  too,  in  this  connection  how 
many  V.C.'s  have  been  won  by  Colonial  troopers,  for 
the  most  part  in  the  late  South  African  War.  No 
fewer  than  twenty-five  were  awarded  to  South  Africans, 


THE  ORIGIN  OF  THE  VICTORIA  CROSS     5 

Australians,  Canadians,  and  New  Zealanders,  showing 
of  what  sterling  metal  were  these  Sons  of  the  Empire 
who  crossed  the  seas  to  fight  at  the  call  of  the  Mother 
Country. 

The  first  presentation  of  the  V.C.  took  place  on 
June  26th,  1857,  the  year  after  the  close  of  the 
Crimean  War.  The  scene  of  the  ceremony  was  Hyde 
Park,  and  on  that  beautiful  summer  morning  the 
sun  shone  down  upon  a  brilliant  spectacle.  A  large 
body  of  troops  under  the  command  of  the  veteran 
Sir  Colin  Campbell,  comprised  of  Life  Guards,  Dragoons, 
Hussars, Eoyal  Engineers,  Artillery,  and  other  regiments, 
together  with  a  detachment  of  smart-looking  Blue- 
jackets, were  drawn  up  in  imposing  array,  and  a  vast 
number  of  people  of  all  ranks  had  assembled  to  await 
the  coming  of  Koyalty,  for  the  Queen  herself  was  to 
pin  the  Crosses  on  to  the  heroes'  breasts  with  her  own 
hand. 

Just  before  ten  o'clock,  to  the  booming  of  a  royal 
salute,  her  Majesty,  with  the  Prince  Consort,  the 
Crown  Prince  of  Prussia,  the  Prince  of  Wales  and 
his  brother  Prince  Alfred  (the  late  Duke  of  Saxe- 
Coburg-Gotha),  all  on  horseback,  rode  into  the  Park 
and  took  their  places  near  the  dais  that  had  been 
prepared.  On  a  small  table  near  by,  showing  up 
strongly  against  the  scarlet  cloth  with  which  it  was 
covered,  lay  the  Crosses  that  were  to  be  bestowed 
that  morning.  The  little  band  of  sixty-two  heroes, 
headed  by  Lieutenant  Knox,  of  the  Kifle  Brigade,  mean- 
while stood  at  ease  a  little  distance  off,  the  observed 
of  all  observers,  until  the  signal  was  given,  and  then 
one  by  one  they  came  forward  as  Lord  Panmure, 
the  then  Secretary  for  War,  read  out  their  names. 


6  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

As  a  complete  list  of  these  first  recipients  of  the 
V.C.  is  given  at  the  end  of  this  volume  I  need  not 
enumerate  them  here,  but  there  were  one  or  two, 
notably  Lieutenant  (now  Eear-Admiral)  Lucas,  the 
first  man  to  be  awarded  the  decoration.  Lieutenant 
Hewett  ("  Bully  Hewett "  as  he  was  popularly  known), 
the  gallant  Commander  (late  Eear-Admiral)  Bythesea, 
and  Lieutenant  Knox,  whose  empty  sleeve  bore 
eloquent  witness  to  his  daring  bravery  at  the  storm- 
ing of  the  Kedan,  who  stood  out  from  the  rest. 
And  hardly  less  conspicuous  among  those  present 
were  Lord  Cardigan,  at  the  head  of  the  11th  Hussars 
and  mounted  on  the  very  horse  that  carried  him 
through  the  Balaclava  Charge,  and  Fenwick  Williams, 
the  gallant  defender  of  Kars. 

The  presentation,  the  most  historic  ceremony  that 
Hyde  Park  has  ever  witnessed,  was  over  in  barely 
more  than  ten  minutes.  After  the  last  Cross  had 
been  pinned  on  Major  Bourchier's  breast  the  little  band 
of  heroes  was  drawn  up  in  line  again,  and  a  review 
of  the  troops  brought  the  proceedings  to  a  close. 

A  truly  glorious  and  inspiring  record  is  that  of  the 
V.C.  The  stories  of  how  the  Cross  was  won,  though 
they  cannot  be  told  as  fully  as  one  could  wish,  make 
a  Golden  Book  of  Valour  that  every  British  boy 
should  be  made  familiar  with,  as  the  sons  of  the  old 
Norsemen  were  made  familiar  with  the  sagas  of  their 
heroes.  For  they  tell  not  merely  of  physical  courage, 
which  the  ancients  extolled  as  the  highest  of  all  the 
virtues,  but  of  that  moral  courage  which  demands 
even  more  fully  our  admiration. 

One's  heart  warms  at  the  recollection  of  the  giant 
M'Bean   slaying  his  eleven   sepoys  single-handed  at 


THE   FIKST   PRESENTATION    OF   THE   V.C.,    IN    HYDE   PARK, 

JUNE  26,  1857.— Page  5. 


THE  ORIGIN  OF  THE  VICTORIA  CROSS     7 

Lucknow,  but  his  heroism  pales  before  that  of 
Kavanagh  or  of  Surgeon  Home  and  the  other  heroes 
of  "  Dhoolie  Square."  Their  gallant  deeds  were  not 
performed  in  the  fierce  heat  of  battle,  when  in  the 
excitement  of  the  moment  a  man  may  be  so  lifted  out 
of  himself  as  to  become  unconsciously  a  veritable 
paladin,  but  done  quietly,  from  a  high  sense  of  duty 
and  in  the  name  of  humanity,  in  the  face  of  what 
looked  like  certain  death. 

There  is  room  only  in  the  succeeding  chapters  for 
a  recital  of  a  limited  number  of  the  deeds  that  won 
the  Cross.  One  would  like  to  tell  of  all,  making 
no  exceptions,  but  such  a  task  is  beyond  the  scope  of 
this  volume.  The  most  striking  and  most  notable 
acts  in  the  annals  of  the  V.C.  have  accordingly  been 
selected,  and  while  keeping  strictly  to  fact  the 
endeavour  has  been  made  to  present  them  in  a 
worthily  attractive  setting. 

And  in  calling  to  mind  the  heroism  of  the  brave  men 
who  figure  in  these  pages  let  us  not  forget  those  who 
may  be  said  to  have  equally  earned  the  distinction 
but  who  for  some  reason  or  other  were  passed  over. 
Of  such  were  Chaplain  Smith,  who  was  one  of  the 
heroes  of  Eorke's  Drift ;  Gumpunt  Eow  Deo  Ker,  the 
Mahratta  sowar  who  stood  by  Lieutenant  Kerr's  side 
at  Kolapore,  saving  his  leader's  life  more  than  once  in 
that  terrible  fight ;  and  the  gallant  little  bugler  boy, 
Tom  Keep,  of  the  Grenadier  Guards,  who,  while  the 
battle  of  Inkerman  was  at  its  height  and  bullets  were 
whistling  round  him  (one  actually  passed  through  his 
jacket),  went  about  tending  the  wounded  on  the  field. 
These  are  names  among  many  that  deserve  to  be 
inscribed  high  up  on  the  scroll  which  perpetuates  the 
memory  of  our  bravest  of  the  brave. 


8  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

Out  of  the  522  winners  of  the  V.C.  some  200  are 
alive  at  the  present  time.  Death  has  been  busy  of 
late  years  in  thinning  the  ranks.  Only  the  other  day, 
as  it  seems,  we  lost  Seaman  Trewavas,  Mr.  Ross 
Lowis  Mangles  (one  of  the  few  civilians  decorated), 
General  Channer,  and  Baker  Pasha.  We  have, 
however,  still  with  us  the  senior  winner  of  the 
distinction,  Rear-Admiral  Lucas,  whose  exploit  is 
narrated  at  length  in  its  proper  place,  Field-Marshals 
Lord  Roberts,  Sir  George  White,  and  Sir  Evelyn 
Wood,  Admiral  Sir  Nowell  Salmon,  General  Sir 
Redvers  Buller,  and  many  another  hero  of  high  rank. 
May  the  day  be  far  distant  when  their  names  have 
to  be  erased  from  the  survivors'  roll ! 


CHAPTEK  II. 

THE  CRIMEA. THE  BATTLE  OF  THE  ALMA. 

IT  was  in  the  Crimean  War,  as  noted  in  the  pre- 
ceding chapter,  that  the  first  Victoria  Crosses 
were  won.  I  do  not  purpose  giving  a  history  of  the 
war  here,  for  space  does  not  permit  of  it,  nor  would 
it  be  altogether  in  place.  But  for  a  proper  apprecia- 
tion of  the  incidents  which  I  am  about  to  describe  it 
is  necessary  to  say  something  about  the  events  which 
led  up  to  the  war.  The  reader  who  wants  to  obtain 
a  completer  grasp  of  the  campaign,  the  first  great 
European  war  that  our  army  had  been  engaged  in 
since  the  war  against  Napoleon,  will  of  course  turn  to 
an  authoritative  history  for  information,  not  forgetting 
to  keep  a  map  in  front  of  him  while  he  reads. 

The  war  in  the  Crimea  originated  in  the  aggressive 
movements  of  Kussia  against  her  old  enemy  the  Turk. 
For  centuries  the  Crimea  itself  had  been  the  scene 
of  constant  warfare  between  the  two  nations,  its  in- 
dependence as  a  separate  state  under  the  rule  of  its 
own  Khans  being  at  length  secured  towards  the  end 
of  the  eighteenth  century,  in  the  hope  that  peace 
would  come  to  the  troubled  district. 

But  it  was  not  to  be  so.  Kussia  could  not  keep 
her  hands  off  the  desired  province,  the  possession  of 
which  meant  a  step  gained  in  the  direction  of  Con- 


lo  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

stantinople  and  the  conquest  of  the  Ottomans. 
Accordingly  the  treaty  with  the  Turks  was  violated 
by  the  Empress  Catherine,  and  the  Crimea  was  seized 
again  by  the  Eussians.  Fortresses  of  formidable 
dimensions  now  sprang  up  on  the  borders,  the  greatest 
and  most  famous  of  these  being  the  naval  arsenal  of 
Sebastopol,  which  was  built  at  the  southern  extremity 
of  the  peninsula,  in  the  Black  Sea. 

In  due  time  the  Tsar  Nicholas  i.  ascended  the 
throne  of  Muscovy,  and,  believing  that  the  hostility 
of  France  towards  England  needed  little  to  be  fanned 
into  flame,  he  thought  the  time  propitious  to  carry 
out  his  ambitious  scheme  of  conquest.  With  France 
involved  in  a  war  with  this  country  he  had  no  reason 
to  fear  interference  with  his  plans.  Having  picked  a 
quarrel  with  the  Sultan,  therefore,  on  a  matter  of 
dispute  between  the  Greek  and  Eoman  Catholic 
Churches,  relating  to  the  guardianship  of  the  Holy 
Places,  especially  the  Holy  Sepulchre  in  Palestine, 
the  Tsar  flung  an  army  into  the  provinces  of  the 
Danube. 

But  he  had  reckoned  without  his  host.  In  the 
face  of  this  common  danger  (for  the  downfall  of  the 
Turks  meant  a  Kussian  menace  of  the  whole  of 
Europe),  England  and  France  sank  their  differences 
and  joined  forces  against  the  Eussians.  In  obstinate 
mood,  and  confident  in  the  strength  of  his  huge  army, 
the  Tsar  held  on  his  way,  with  the  result  that  the 
Allies  declared  war.     This  was  in  1854. 

Contrary  to  Eussian  expectations,  the  war  opened 
in  the  Crimea.  Here  the  combined  fleets  made  their 
appearance  in  September  of  the  same  year,  the  troops 
landing  on  the  western  coast.  The  English  army  was 
under  the  command    of     Lord    Eaglan,    the   French 


THE  BATTLE  OF  THE  ALMA  ii 

commander-in-chief  being  Marshal  St.  Arnaud. 
Marching  southward  towards  Sebastopol,  at  which  a 
blow  was  aimed,  the  allied  army  gained  its  first 
victories  at  Alma  and  Balaclava.  Then  commenced 
the  long  and  memorable  siege  of  Sebastopol,  which 
was  not  reduced  until  September  of  the  following 
year. 

In  the  meantime,  however,  was  fought  the  great 
battle  of  Inkerman,  "  the  soldiers'  battle,"  as  it  has 
been  called,  one  of  the  most  terrible  fights  that 
Europe  has  seen.  This  took  place  in  November 
1854. 

The  winter,  spring,  and  summer  of  the  following 
year  were  taken  up  with  the  siege  operations,  which 
progressed  but  slowly  owing  to  the  severity  of  the 
winter  and  the  many  natural  difficulties  to  be  over- 
come. Our  troops,  too,  as  is  now  a  matter  of  history, 
were  scandalously  ill-equipped  for  the  campaign,  and 
when  we  read  of  how  badly  they  were  clothed  and  fed, 
of  what  little  provision  there  was  for  the  care  of  the 
wounded,  and  altogether  of  the  gross  mismanagement 
that  characterised  the  conduct  of  the  campaign,  we 
feel  all  the  more  pride  that  our  men  fought  so  well 
and  achieved  so  much  success  in  the  face  of  such 
tremendous  odds. 

The  tale  of  those  eleven  months,  from  October 
1854  to  September  1855,  is  one  of  sorties,  of  sapping 
and  mining,  of  desperate  deeds  done  in  the  trenches 
in  the  dead  of  night,  of  the  gradual  reducing  of 
the  Sebastopol  outworks.  Great  things  were  done  by 
our  men  at  the  attacks  on  the  Mamelon  Tower  and 
the  Redan,  and  by  the  French  at  the  storming  of  the 
Malakoff,  the  capture  of  the  last-named  giving  the 
command  of   the  fortress.     On    the    night   that    the 


12  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

Malakoff  fell  the  Eussians  evacuated  the  town,  and 
Sebastopol  was  taken  possession  of  by  the  Allies. 

By  the  Peace  of  Paris,  which  was  concluded  on 
March  30th,  1856,  the  war  came  to  an  end,  and  our 
army,  sadly  reduced  in  numbers  by  cholera  and  other 
diseases,  more  than  by  the  enemy's  shells  and  bullets, 
returned  home. 

In  giving  an  outline  of  the  Crimean  campaign 
mention  must  not  be  omitted  of  the  British  fleet  sent 
into  the  Baltic  at  an  early  stage  in  the  hostilities. 
This  fleet  was  unsuccessful  in  doing  much  damage  to 
the  Eussian  ships  which  sought  refuge  behind  the 
strong  fortresses  of  Cronstadt  and  Sveaborg,  but  it 
stormed  and  took  Bomarsund  and  the  Aland  Islands. 
In  the  following  year  (1855)  it  renewed  the  attack, 
and  after  a  determined  bombardment  succeeded  in 
partially  destroying  Sveaborg. 

It  was  in  this  naval  campaign,  and  in  the  opera- 
tions in  the  Black  Sea  and  Sea  of  Azov,  that  our 
Bluejackets  and  Marines  did  such  signal  service,  and 
that  several  of  them  won  the  right  to  put  V.C.  after 
their  names. 

Five  of  the  Crosses  won  at  the  battle  of  the  Alma 
were  gained  in  defence  of  the  colours. 

In  the  advance  on  the  Eussian  batteries  which 
were  posted  on  the  heights,  the  23rd  Eoyal  Welsh 
Fusiliers  formed  one  of  the  regiments  on  the  left  wing, 
the  French  attacking  on  the  right.  It  was  a  perilous 
climb  up  the  precipitous  rocky  slopes,  and  particularly 
80  for  a  marked  man  like  he  who  bore  the  coloui's. 
Young  Lieutenant  Anstruther,  a  mere  lad  of  eighteen, 
who  proudly  carried  the  Queen's  colours,  learnt  this 
to  his  cost,  for  when  he  was  within  a  few  yards  of  the 


THE  BATTLE  OF  THE  ALMA  13 

nearest  Kussian  earthwork  a  bullet  through  the  heart 
laid  him  low. 

In  a  moment  a  private  had  caught  up  the  silken 
banner  now  sadly  stained  with  blood,  but  Sergeant 
Luke  O'Connor,  a  young  Irishman  of  twenty-four, 
who  had  followed  close  on  poor  Anstruther's  heels 
and  had  been  himself  struck  down,  regained  his  feet 
although  badly  wounded  in  the  breast,  and  claimed 
the  flag.  "Come  on,  23rd!"  he  shouted.  "Follow 
me!" 

It  was  in  vain  that  the  gallant  sergeant  was 
ordered  to  the  rear  to  have  his  wound  attended  to ; 
he  refused  to  abandon  the  colours,  and  right  through 
that  fierce  fight  he  accompanied  the  Fusiliers,  bearing 
a  charmed  life,  as  was  made  evident  later.  When 
the  flag  was  inspected  at  the  close  of  the  action  it  was 
found  to  be  riddled  with  bullet  holes,  having  been  hit 
in  at  least  twenty-six  places. 

O'Connor  received  a  commission  for  his  bravery  on 
this  occasion  in  addition  to  the  Cross  for  Valour,  but 
he  did  not  exchange  from  the  regiment.  Loyal  to 
the  corps  he  loved,  he  remained  in  it,  and  in  time  rose 
to  command  it. 

On  the  same  day  another  Welsh  Fusilier,  Captain 
Bell,  distinguished  himself  by  capturing  a  Eussian 
gun  which  was  limbered  up  and  being  dragged  from 
the  redoubt.  Leaving  his  company  and  dashing  after 
it  alone,  he  pointed  his  revolver  at  the  head  of  the 
driver,  who  incontinently  dismounted  and  bolted. 

A  private  then  coming  to  his  aid.  Captain  Bell 
turned  the  gun  team  round,  and  was  returning  in 
triumph  to  his  comrades  when  Sir  George  Brown,  his 
superior  officer,  angrily  ordered  him  back  to  his  place 
in  the  regiment,  reprimanding  him  for  having  quitted 


14  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

it  without  leave.  He  had  to  relinquish  the  gun  forth- 
with, but  some  hours  later,  when  he  and  his  remnant 
of  men  marched  in,  he  learnt  to  his  great  satisfaction 
that  the  gun  was  still  in  the  English  lines.  The 
captured  horses,  it  is  recorded,  were  employed  in  one 
of  our  batteries  for  some  time  afterwards,  while  the 
gun  itself  was  taken  to  Woolwich,  where  I  believe  it 
is  still  to  be  seen. 

For  this  action,  which  had  not  escaped  notice  de- 
spite his  commander's  rebuke.  Captain  Bell  received 
the  Cross,  but  had  it  not  been  awarded  then  he  would 
have  undoubtedly  won  it  later  at  Inkerman,  where  he 
displayed  exceptional  gallantry.  Both  O'Connor  and 
Captain  Bell  became  Major-Generals  in  after  years ; 
the  ex-sergeant  of  the  Welsh  Fusiliers,  who  is  still  in 
the  land  of  the  living,  enjoying  the  distinction  of  being 
one  of  the  two  V.C.'s  who  have  risen  to  that  high 
grade  from  the  ranks. 

The  second  of  the  Crosses  bestowed  for  defending 
the  colours  fell  to  Lieutenant  Lindsay,  of  the  Scots  Fusi- 
lier Guards,  afterwards  well  known  as  Lord  Wantage. 

At  a  critical  moment  in  the  battle  an  order  given 
to  the  Eoyal  Welsh  to  retire  was  mistaken  by  the 
Scots  Guards  as  meant  for  them,  and  they  began  to 
retreat  in  considerable  disorder.  Lieutenant  Lindsay, 
who  carried  the  regimental  colours,  stood  his  ground 
with  his  escort,  endeavouring  in  vain  to  rally  the  broken 
ranks.  The  tide  of  men  swept  past  him  to  the  rear, 
however,  and  the  little  knot  of  soldiers  round  the 
colours  was  isolated.  In  this  perilous  position  they 
were  fiercely  attacked  by  a  body  of  Eussians,  the 
escort  falling  almost  to  a  man,  and  leaving  Lindsay 
and  a  fellow-officer  to  stand  back  to  back  and  keep  off 
the  enemy  with  revolvers. 


THE  BATTLE  OF  THE  ALMA  15 

Help  was  speedily  forthcoming,  however.  Seeing 
their  officer's  danger,  Sergeants  Knox  and  M'Kechnie, 
with  Private  Eeynolds,  hastened  to  his  side  and 
successfully  held  the  Kussians  in  check  until  the 
regiment  re-formed  and  advanced  again.  All  three 
men,  it  is  satisfactory  to  add,  were  similarly 
decorated. 

Of  Sergeant  Knox  more  was  heard  later, 
especially  at  the  storming  of  the  Eedan,  where  he 
lost  an  arm.  By  this  time  he  had  been  promoted  to 
a  lieutenancy  and  transferred  to  the  Eifle  Brigade, 
from  which  he  subsequently  retired  with  the  rank 
of  Major. 


CHAPTEK   III. 

THE    CRIMEA. IN    THE   BALACLAVA    CHARGES. 

IT  is  not  remembered  as  it  should  be  that  there 
were  two  brilliant  charges  made  at  Balaclava,  on 
that  grey  day  of  October  25th,  1854.  Tennyson's 
stirring  lines  in  honour  of  the  Charge  of  the  Light 
Brigade  have  given  enduring  fame  to  the  "noble  Six 
Hundred,"  but  the  exploit  of  the  "  Three  Hundred," 
the  Heavy  Brigade,  should  make  the  name  of  Balaclava 
equally  thrilling  to  us. 

The  Heavy  Brigade  was  composed  of  squadrons  of 
the  4th  and  5  th  Dragoon  Guards,  Scots  Greys, 
Inniskilling  Dragoons,  and  the  1st  Eoyals,  under  the 
command  of  Brigadier-General  Yorke  Scarlett.  At 
an  early  stage  of  the  fight  Scarlett  was  proceeding 
with  his  brigade  to  the  support  of  the  "  thin  red  line  " 
which  was  bearing  the  brunt  of  the  Eussian  attack, 
when  suddenly  a  huge  mass  of  Eussian  cavalry, 
Cossacks  and  others,  3000  strong,  loomed  up  on  the 
heights  to  their  left. 

The  situation  was  a  perilous  one,  as  the  General  saw 
in  a  glance.  The  launching  of  that  great  crowd  of 
Eussians  upon  the  valley  below  meant  annihilation 
for  his  little  force.  With  a  quick  command  to 
"  wheel  into  line,"  Scarlett  gave  orders  for  the  brigade 
to  form  up,  facing  the  enemy.  By  some  blunder, 
however,  the  movement  was  not  properly  executed, 

i6 


THE  BALACLAVA  CHARGES  17 

and  when  the  Eussians  flung  out  in  a  wide-spreading 
crescent  to  envelop  the  few  hundreds  of  British  redcoats 
below  them,  two  squadrons  of  the  Scots  Greys  with 
one  of  the  6  th  Inniskillings  were  left  in  front  to 
receive  the  first  shock  of  the  attack. 

With  that  menacing  horde  of  grey-coated,  black- 
bearded  Kussians,  poised  like  a  hawk  about  to  swoop 
upon  its  prey,  there  was  no  time  for  pause.  Shrill 
on  the  air  the  "  Charge  ! "  rang  out,  and  with  Scarlett 
leading  them,  the  little  advance  body  of  "  Heavies  " — 
300  men  of  the  Scots  Greys  and  Inniskillings — dashed 
off  to  meet  the  foe. 

We  have  no  such  details  of  the  fight  as  were  forth- 
coming after  the  Charge  of  the  Light  Brigade,  but 
we  know  that  it  was  a  most  desperate  affair.  For 
every  one  of  that  handful  of  men,  flung  into  a  mass  of 
the  enemy  that  outnumbered  them  many  times  over, 
it  was  a  hand-to-hand  struggle  for  life  of  the  most 
heroic  kind.  For  a  few  moments  they  were  lost  to 
sight.  Then  out  of  the  heaving,  surging  multitude 
the' black  bearskins  and  brass  helmets  of  the  Scotsmen 
and  Irishmen  broke  into  view  here  and  there,  while 
their  sabres  flashed  in  the  sun  as  they  hewed  their 
way  through. 

It  was  a  battle  of  giants.  What  wonder  that  the 
Kussians  gave  for  a  brief  moment  under  the  fierce 
onset  ? 

"There's  fear  in  their  faces  ;  they  shrink  from  the  shock; 
They  will  open  the  door,  only  loud  enough  knock ; 
Keep  turning  the  key,  lest  we  stick  in  the  lock  ! 
Dear  England  for  Ever,  Hurrah!"^ 

At  this  juncture  the  other  squadrons  that  had  been 
left  behind  came  galloping  to  the  rescue.     Into  the 

^  "Scarlett's  Three  Hundred,"  Gerald  Massey. 
-      2 


i8  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

swaying  mass  they  plunged,  and  soon  afterwards 
"  Cossack  and  Russian,"  reeling  from  the  sabre-stroke 
as  they  did  again  a  little  later,  fell  back  in  confusion. 
The  peril  was  past,  the  day  won. 

Of  how  Brigadier  -  General  Scarlett,  Lieutenant 
Elliot,  Captain  Williams  and  Major  Clarke  of  the 
Scots  Greys,  and  the  other  officers  who  led  that  fierce 
charge,  bore  themselves,  the  regimental  records  tell 
more  than  do  the  history  books.  Very  few  escaped 
unscathed,  and  there  were  many  like  Elliot,  who  had 
no  fewer  than  fifteen  wounds,  sword  cuts  and  lance 
thrusts.  And  as  with  the  officers,  so  was  it  with  the 
men.  There  was  not  one  but  proved  himself  a  hero 
that  day.  We  can  well  understand  how  old  Sir 
Colin  Campbell  was  for  once  moved  to  emotion,  as 
bareheaded  he  greeted  the  victors  with  the  words, 
"  Greys,  gallant  Greys !  I  am  an  old  man,  but  if  I 
were  young  again  I  would  be  proud  to  ride  in  your 
ranks ! " 

Where  all  men  are  brave  it  is  not  easy  to  single 
out  any  for  special  distinction.  But  in  that  terrible 
death-ride  there  were  two  who  merited  honour  above 
their  comrades,  Sergeant-Major  Grieve  and  Sergeant 
Eamage.  The  former  in  the  heat  of  the  engage- 
ment saw  an  officer  in  imminent  danger  of  being 
cut  down.  Riding  to  the  rescue,  he  swept  like  a 
whirlwind  upon  the  Russians,  cutting  off  the  head 
of  one  at  a  single  blow  and  scattering  the  rest  by 
the  fury  of  his  onslaught.  For  this  deed  he  won  a 
well-deserved  Cross. 

Sergeant  Ramage,  like  Grieve  also  of  the  Scots 
Greys,  saved  at  least  two  lives  on  that  day.  He 
rescued  first  Private  MacPherson,  whom  a  body  of 
Russians  had  hemmed  in  and  who  was  fighting  against 


THE  BALACLAVA  CHARGES  19 

odds  that  must  have  proved  too  much  for  him  ulti- 
mately. Later  on,  when  the  "  Heavies  "  were  covering 
the  retreat  of  the  Light  Brigade,  a  private  named 
Gardiner  was  seen  to  be  in  a  terrible  plight.  His 
horse  was  lagging  behind  the  others,  and  one  of  the 
private's  legs  had  been  shattered  by  a  round-shot. 
The  first  to  see  Gardiner's  situation,  Eamage  rushed 
impetuously  to  his  help,  and  although  exposed  to  a 
cross  fire  that  placed  him  in  momentary  danger  for 
his  life,  he  nobly  carried  in  the  wounded  soldier  to  a 
place  of  safety. 

These  were  the  actions  that  gained  the  brave 
sergeant  the  V.C.,  but  they  do  not  complete  the  story 
of  his  exploits  that  day.  After  the  Charge  of  the 
Heavy  Brigade,  in  which  he  had  borne  so  distinguished 
a  part,  Eamage's  horse,  a  stubborn  brute,  would  not 
follow  the  retreating  Kussians.  No  amount  of  spur- 
ring would  induce  it  to  go  in  any  direction  save  that 
of  home.  Nothing  daunted,  the  sergeant  dismounted 
and,  leaving  his  charger  to  find  its  own  way  back, 
actually  rushed  over  on  foot  to  the  nearest  Kussian 
lines,  collared  a  man  and  brought  him  back  prisoner ! 

The  story  of  the  Charge  of  the  Light  Brigade  has 
been  told  a  score  of  times.  There  is  nothing  to  be 
added  to  it  now,  for  the  voices  of  its  gallant  leaders, 
of  Cardigan,  Morris,  and  Nolan,  are  hushed  in  death, 
and  we  shall  never  know  what  were  the  true  facts  of 
the  case.  That  "someone  had  blundered"  is  at 
least  certain.  It  is  hard  to  believe  that  the  order 
was  actually  given  for  such  a  brilliant  but  useless 
charge. 

Yet  so  Lord  Cardigan  interpreted  the  instructions 
brought  to  him  by  Captain  Nolan,  as  the  Light 
Brigade,  consisting  of  the  1 7  th  Lancers,  the  4th  and 


20  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

13  th  Dragoons,  and  two  regiments  of  Hussars,  was 
drawn  up  in  the  North  Valley,  on  the  other  side  of 
those  hills  whereon  the  Kussian  cavalry  had  been 
routed  by  Scarlett's  brigade.  At  the  other  end  of  the 
valley  was  a  strong  force  of  Kussians,  formed  up 
behind  a  formidable  battery  of  some  thirty  cannon. 
The  order — wrongly  given  or  misunderstood — was 
that  the  Light  Brigade  should  advance  and  carry 
these  guns. 

It  was  over  a  mile  from  the  brigade's  position  to 
that  of  the  Eussians.  At  a  trot,  then  at  a  gallop, 
the  Six  Hundred,  led  by  Cardigan  in  his  striking 
hussar  uniform,  set  off  on  their  death-ride.  Tenny- 
son's words,  "  Cannon  to  right  of  them,  cannon  to 
left  of  them,  cannon  in  front  of  them  volley'd  and 
thunder'd,"  are  literally  true.  When  the  astonished 
Eussians  realised  what  was  happening  they  opened 
a  terrible  fire  with  their  batteries.  Shot  and  shell 
hurtled  through  the  ranks  again  and  again,  laying 
many  a  brave  fellow  low ;  but  without  wavering  the  Six 
Hundred  closed  up  the  gaps  and  pressed  on  to  their  goal. 

In  a  very  few  minutes  from  the  time  the  fatal 
order  was  received  the  Light  Brigade  had  disappeared 
in  the  smoke  of  the  Eussian  batteries,  riding  clean 
over  the  guns  and  sabreing  the  gunners  as  they  stood 
linstock  in  hand  at  their  posts.  Then  ensued  as 
terrific  a  hand-to-hand  combat  as  has  ever  been 
chronicled. 

"Plunged  in  the  battery-smoke 
Right  thro'  the  line  they  broke  ; 
Cossack  and  Russian 
Reel'd  from  tlie  sabre-stroke 

Shatter'd  and  sunder'd. 
Then  they  rode  back,  but  not 

Not  the  Six  Hundred." 


THE  BALACLAVA  CHARGES  21 

It  was  in  that  ride  back,  when  a  large  body  of 
grey-coated  lancers  rode  down  upon  their  flank,  and 
the  Eussian  artillerymen  rallying  to  their  guns  fired 
indiscriminately  into  the  mass  of  English  and  Eussians, 
that  the  other  Balaclava  Crosses  were  won. 

Major  John  Berryman,  the  most  distinguished  of 
the  seven  heroes  of  the  Charge  who  were  awarded  the 
decoration,  has  told  the  story  of  his  exploit  him- 
self, told  it  modestly  and  simply  as  becomes  a  brave 
man,  but  we  can  fill  in  the  details  of  the  picture  for 
ourselves  as  we  read. 

At  the  time  of  the  Charge  Berryman  was  Troop- 
Sergeant-Major  in  the  17  th  Lancers,  well  known  as 
"  the  Duke  of  Cambridge's  Own  "  and  "  the  Death  or 
Glory  Boys."  In  the  last  mad  leap  at  the  guns,  the 
mare  he  was  riding  was  badly  hit,  and  he  dismounted, 
when  he  found  that  he  too  had  been  wounded  in  the 
leg.  As  he  stood  debating  in  his  mind  whether  or 
not  to  shoot  the  mare.  Captain  Webb,  on  horseback, 
came  up.  He  also  had  been  struck  in  the  leg,  and  to 
his  query  as  to  what  he  had  better  do,  Berryman 
replied,  "Keep  to  your  horse,  sir,  and  get  back  as 
far  as  you  can." 

Webb  thereupon  turned  and  rode  back,  while  the 
sergeant-major,  catching  a  loose  horse,  attempted  to 
follow  suit.  But  his  new  steed  had  its  breastplate 
driven  into  its  chest,  and  hardly  had  he  mounted  ere 
it  fell  to  the  ground.  Giving  up  the  idea  of  rejoining 
his  regiment  in  the  mel^e,  he  was  making  his  way  back 
on  foot  when  he  caught  sight  of  Captain  Webb,  who  had 
halted  a  little  distance  off,  the  acute  pain  of  his  wound 
preventing  him  riding  farther. 

"  Lieutenant  George  Smith,  of '  my  own  regiment," 
says  Berryman  in  his  account,  "  coming  by,  I  got  him 


22  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

to  stand  at  the  horse's  head  whilst  I  lifted  the  captain 
off.  Having  accomplished  this,  I  assisted  Smith  to 
mount  Webb's  horse  and  ride  for  a  stretcher,  taking 
notice  where  we  were.  By  this  time  the  Eussians 
had  got  back  to  their  guns  and  reopened  fire.  I  saw 
six  men  of  my  own  regiment  get  together  to  recount 
to  each  other  their  escapes.  Seeing  their  danger,  I 
called  to  them  to  separate,  but  too  late,  for  a  shell 
dropped  amongst  them,  and  I  don't  think  one  escaped 
alive." 

Hearing  him  call  to  the  lancers.  Captain  Webb 
asked  Berryman  what  he  thought  the  Eussians  would 
do.  Berryman  answered  that  they  were  sure  to 
pursue,  unless  the  Heavy  Brigade  came  to  the 
rescue. 

"  Then  you  had  better  consult  your  own  safety,  and 
leave,"  said  the  captain. 

Berryman  shook  his  head.  "  I  shall  not  leave  you 
now,  sir,"  he  replied,  adding  that  if  they  were  made 
prisoners  they  would  go  together. 

Just  at  this  moment  Sergeant  Farrell  hove  in  sight, 
and  at  Berryman's  call  he  came  over.  The  retreat  of 
the  Light  Brigade  from  the  guns  was  already  be- 
ginning, and  the  confusion  and  danger  was  augmented 
by  the  onslaught  of  the  Eussian  lancers,  who  had  now 
ridden  down  upon  the  devoted  remnant. 

The  position  of  the  wounded  officer  and  his  helpers 
was  indeed  precarious.  Bullets  and  shells  were  flying 
by  them,  and  at  any  moment  a  Cossack  lance  might 
have  laid  them  low.  But  neither  Berryman  nor 
Farrell  hesitated  or  thought  of  saving  his  own  skin. 
Making  a  chair  of  their ^^hands,  they  raised  the  captain 
from  the  ground  and  carried  him  in  this  way  for  some 
two  hundred  yards,  until  Webb's  leg  again  became  very 


,  ■'    J  -"j^  > 


■•-v.'>t,      % 

^"■^i 

J.UJ«( 

I  GOT   HIM   TO   STAND   AT  THE   HORSE's   HEAD   WHILST   I   LIFTED 

THE  CAPTAIN  0¥F."— Page  22. 


THE  BALACLAVA  CHARGES  23 

painful.  A  private  of  the  13  th  Dragoons,  named 
Malone,  was  requisitioned  to  support  the  officer's  legs, 
and  another  start  was  made. 

The  rear  of  the  Greys  was  at  last  reached  in  safety, 
and  here  the  sergeant-major  procured  a  tourniquet 
which  he  screwed  on  to  Webb's  right  thigh  ("  I  could 
not  have  done  it  better  myself,"  said  the  regimental 
doctor  afterwards),  together  with  a  stretcher. 

We  will  let  Berryman  take  up  the  story  himself  at 
this  point. 

"  I  and  Farrell  now  raised  the  stretcher  and  carried 
it  for  about  fifty  yards,  and  again  set  it  down.  I  was 
made  aware  of  an  officer  of  the  Chasseurs  d'Afrique 
being  on  my  left  by  his  placing  his  hand  upon  my 
shoulder.  I  turned  and  saluted.  Pointing  to  Captain 
Webb,  but  looking  at  me,  he  said — 

"  *  Your  officer  ? ' 

" '  Yes.' 

" '  Ah  !  and  you  sergeant  ? '  looking  at  the  stripes 
on  my  arm. 

"'Yes.' 

"  *  Ah !  If  you  were  in  French  service,  I  would 
make  you  an  officer  on  the  spot.'  Then,  standing  in 
his  stirrups  and  extending  his  right  hand,  he  said, 
'  Oh !  it  was  grand,  it  was  magnifique,  but  it  is  not 
war,  it  is  not  war  ! '  " 

This  French  officer  was  General  Morris. 

Eesuming  their  task,  Berryman  and  Farrell  got  the 
captain  to  the  doctors,  who  discovered  that  the  shin 
bone  of  his  leg  had  been  shattered.  Farrell  turning 
faint  at  the  sight  of  the  terrible  wound,  the  sergeant- 
major  was  instructed  to  take  him  away,  and  this  was 
the  cause  of  bringing  him  near  enough  to  the  Duke  of 
Cambridge  and  Lord  Cardigan  to   hear    the   former 


24  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

say  as  he  viewed  the  remnant  that  had  come 
"through  the  jaws  of  Death,  Back  from  the  mouth 
of  Hell":— 

"Is  that  all  of  them?  You  have  lost  the  finest 
brigade  that  ever  left  the  shores  of  England ! " 

And  to  Captain  Godfrey  Morgan,  now  Viscount 
Tredegar,  who  had  led  the  I7th  Lancers  (thirty-four 
returned  out  of  one  hundred  and  forty),  the  Duke 
could  only  say,  "  My  poor  regiment !  My  poor 
regiment ! " 

Sergeant  Farrell  and  Private  Malone,  as  was  only 
fitting,  also  received  the  Cross  for  Valour. 

I  have  given  the  account  of  the  brave  deed  of 
Berryman  and  his  companions  at  some  length,  because 
it  is,  to  my  mind,  one  of  the  most  signal  acts  of 
devotion  in  the  chronicles  of  the  V.C.  A  very  large 
proportion  of  those  who  have  won  the  Cross  dis- 
tinguished themselves  in  the  attempt,  succesful  or 
otherwise,  to  save  life,  and  there  is  no  act  that  is  more 
deserving  of  our  fullest  admiration.  "  Greater  love 
hath  no  man  than  this,  that  a  man  lay  down  his  life 
for  his  friends." 

There  were  other  lives  saved  in  that  death-stricken 
valley  that  day  besides  Webb's.  Captain  Morris,  who 
led  a  troop  of  the  l7th  Lancers,  was  taken  prisoner 
by  the  Russians  after  a  desperate  encounter,  but 
managed  to  escape  in  the  confusion.  Grievously 
wounded  and  on  foot,  for  his  second  horse  had  been 
shot  under  him,  he  struggled  towards  the  British  lines, 
until  from  sheer  exhaustion  he  fell  beside  the  dead 
body  of  his  brother-officer,  Captain  Nolan. 

It  is  stated  that  the  two  officers,  knowing  the  peril 
that  faced  them,  had  each  left  in  his  friend's  charge  a 
letter  to  be  sent  home  if  he  fell  and  the  other  survived 


THE  BALACLAVA  CHARGES  25 

These  letters  were  found  in  the  breasts  of  the  two  as 
they  lay  side  by  side. 

Captain  Morris,  however,  was  luckily  still  alive.  To 
his  assistance  promptly  came  Sergeant-Major  Charles 
Wooden  of  his  own  regiment,  who  pluckily  stood  by 
his  body  until  he  saw  a  surgeon.  The  latter,  who 
proved  to  be  Surgeon  Mouat  of  the  6  th  Dragoon 
Guards  (now  Sir  James  Mouat,  K.C.B.),  promptly  went 
over  to  the  wounded  man,  and  despite  the  heavy  fire 
that  was  being  kept  up,  dressed  his  wounds  as  coolly 
as  if  he  had  been  in  the  operating-room.  His  skill 
stopped  the  hemorrhage,  which  undoubtedly  saved  the 
captain's  life,  and  for  this,  as  well  as  for  getting  the 
wounded  man  back  to  safety,  the  brave  surgeon  in  due 
course  got  his  V.C.  Sergeant-Major  Wooden  was 
decorated  at  the  same  time. 

One  other  man  of  the  17th  Lancers  who  dis- 
tinguished himself  in  this  historic  charge  was  the 
regimental  butcher,  John  Yeigh.  Hearing  that  the 
dash  for  the  Eussian  guns  was  to  be  made,  he  left  his 
work  in  his  bloodstained  smock  without  seeking 
permission,  borrowed  a  sabre,  and  rode  through  the 
valley  with  his  comrades.  "  Butcher  Jack  "  cut  down 
six  gunners  and  returned  unhurt,  still  smoking  the 
short  black  pipe  which  was  in  his  mouth  when  he 
joined  in  the  ride. 

The  two  remaining  Balaclava  Crosses  were  awarded 
to  Private  Samuel  Parkes,  a  Light  Dragoon,  and 
Lieutenant  Alexander  Eobert  Dunn,  of  the  11th 
Hussars. 

Parkes'  exploit  was  a  courageous  rescue  of  Trumpet- 
Major  Crawford,  who,  on  being  thrown  helpless  to  the 
ground  by  his  horse,  was  furiously  attacked  by  a  couple 
of  Cossacks.      Himself  unhorsed,  he    fearlessly  bore 


26  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

down  upon  the  cowardly  Kussians,  and  plied  his  sword 
with  such  vigour  that  he  sent  them  flying.  The  two 
were  attacked  again  by  a  larger  party  of  Cossacks,  but 
Parkes  maintained  such  a  sturdy  defence  that  he  was 
only  subdued  when  a  shot  struck  his  sabre  out  of  his 
hand.  He  and  Crawford  were  made  prisoners,  and  not 
released  until  a  year  later. 

Lieutenant  Dunn  had  the  distinction  of  being  the 
only  officer  of  the  Light  Brigade  to  win  the  V.C. 
When  Sergeant  Bentley  of  his  regiment  fell  behind  in 
the  dash  back  to  safety,  and  was  quickly  set  on  by 
three  Kussians,  the  lieutenant  turned  his  horse  and 
rode  to  his  comrade's  aid.  Dunn  was  a  less  powerful 
man  than  Parkes,  but  he  sabred  two  of  the  Cossack 
lancers  clean  out  of  their  saddles  and  put  the  third 
to  flight. 

Subsequently  Lieutenant  Dunn  rescued  a  private  of 
the  Hussars  from  certain  death  in  similar  circum- 
stances. He  survived  the  Crimean  War  and  rose  to 
distinction  in  the  service,  but  his  career  was  cut  short 
all  too  soon  by  an  accident  in  the  Abyssinian 
campaign. 


CHAPTER   IV. 

THE   CKIMEA. THE    HEROES    OF   INKERMAN. 

THE  fierce  battle  on  the  plateau  of  Inkerman,  in 
the  early  morning  of  November  5th,  1854, 
was  the  most  desperate  engagement  of  the  whole 
war.  It  has,  indeed,  been  described  as  "  the  bloodiest 
struggle  ever  witnessed  since  war  cursed  the  earth." 
The  sixty  thousand  Russians  who  made  a  sortie  out 
of  Sebastopol  were  able  through  the  heavy  mists  that 
hung  over  the  field  to  take  the  British  force  of  eight 
thousand  men  by  surprise,  and  the  fight  at  once  became 
a  hand-to-hand  encounter  rather  than  a  pitched  battle. 

To  call  Inkerman  the  "  soldiers'  battle  "  is  to  give 
our  brave  fellows  who  fought  that  day  no  more  than 
their  due.  There  was  scant  time  for  any  plan  of 
operations  to  be  formed;  as  the  guardsmen — 
Grenadiers,  Coldstreams,  and  Scots — turned  out  of 
their  tents  at  the  warning  bugle  call  it  was  to  face 
immediately  an  enemy  already  entrenched  behind 
battery  and  redoubt  which  belched  forth  shell  and 
grape-shot  incessantly.  With  bayonets  fixed  they 
went  forward  at  the  charge  to  silence  those  terrible 
flame-mouthed  cannon  and  drive  the  Russians  from 
battery  and  rifle-pit,  and  once  among  the  foe  British 
pluck  could  be  relied  on  to  carry  the  day. 

What    deeds  of    daring  were  done  in    the  mist- 


28  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

shrouded  glades  and  dells  of  Inkerman,  in  the  valley 
and  on  the  heights  that  commanded  the  British 
position,  can  never  be  fully  chronicled.  We  know, 
however,  how  some  of  our  gallant  soldiers  bore 
themselves,  for  in  that  titanic  struggle  acts  of  signal 
bravery  were  performed  that  were  remembered  after- 
wards and  deemed  worthy  of  recognition. 

Charles  McDermond  and  Thomas  Beach,  privates, 
made  themselves  conspicuous  in  saving  the  lives  of 
two  officers  who  were  lying  on  the  ground  wounded 
and  at  the  mercy  of  Eussians,  who  never  hesitated  to 
kill  a  disabled  man.  So,  too,  did  Sergeant  George 
Walters  of  the  49th  Kegiment,  who  was  more  than 
a  match  for  half  a  dozen  Eussians  when  Brigadier- 
General  Adams  got  cut  off.  All  three  won  their 
V.C.'s  that  day. 

Of  Lieutenant  Mark  Walker,  of  the  30  th 
(Cambridgeshire)  Eegiment,  a  striking  story  is  told. 
From  out  of  the  fog  his  men  saw  a  great  mass  of 
Eussians,  two  battalions  strong,  advancing  towards 
them.  They  were  ordered  to  open  fire,  but  their 
rifles  were  wet  and  useless.  Seeing  this.  Walker 
called  on  his  men  to  fix  bayonets  and  follow  him, 
and,  running  forward,  leaped  over  the  low  wall  be- 
hind which  the  regiment  had  been  lying  hidden. 
This  was  enough  for  the  30  th.  With  a  wild  cheer, 
they  followed  his  lead,  and  flinging  themselves  im- 
petuously against  the  enemy,  a  mere  handful  as  they 
were,  they  actually  sent  the  greycoats  flying. 

For  this  dashing  feat,  which  turned  what  must 
have  been  an  inevitable  defeat  into  a  victory,  the 
lieutenant  was  mentioned  in  despatches  and  awarded 
the  Cross.  In  after  years  he  wrote  himself  General 
Sir  Mark  Walker,  K.C.B. 


THE  HEROES  OF  INKERMAN  29 

But  it  was  at  the  Sandbag  Battery,  whence  the 
Russians  had  directed  a  deadly  fire  upon  our  troops, 
that  perhaps  the  most  brilliant  feat  of  arms  was 
performed.  The  Sandbag  had  the  distinction  of  being 
fought  for  more  than  any  other  battery  at  Inkerman, 
changing  hands  several  times,  until  at  last  it  was 
held  by  the  Grenadiers. 

After  the  seventh  fight  round  its  parapet,  the 
Russians  succeeded  in  driving  back  their  besiegers, 
and,  exulting  over  their  achievement,  danced  and  sang 
with  joy.  This  exasperated  the  guardsmen  to  fresh 
fury,  and  when  Sir  Charles  Russell,  their  Captain, 
called  on  his  men  to  follow  him,  the  Grenadiers, 
followed  by  some  Coldstreams  and  Fusiliers,  sprang 
forward  to  storm  the  position.  This  time  they  were 
successful,  driving  the  Russians  before  them. 

How  fierce  was  the  contest  will  be  understood 
when  I  mention  that  the  guardsmen's  ammunition 
having  run  short,  the  men  seized  hold  of  stones  and 
rocks  and  hurled  these  at  their  foes.  The  Russians 
responded  in  like  manner  until,  as  Sir  Charles  said 
in  a  letter  home  to  his  mother,  "  the  air  was  thick 
with  huge  stones."  t 

Although  the  British  were  once  more  in  the 
Battery,  the  worst  was  not  yet  over.  Many  bold 
Russians  still  hung  on  the  parapet  wall,  or  clung  to 
the  embrasures,  firing  down  on  those  inside.  The 
guardsmen,  indeed,  found  that  they  were  in  a  kind  of 
trap,  and  cries  of  "  Charge  them  ! "  arose.  Then  a 
soldier  standing  by  Sir  Charles  Russell  spoke  up. 

"  If  any  officer  will  lead  us,  we  will  charge,"  he  said. 

Up  sprang  Sir  Charles,  revolver  in  hand.  "  Come 
on,  my  lads  ! "  he  cried.  "  Come  on  !  Who  will  follow 
me?" 


30  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

The  first  to  respond  to  their  gallant  captain's 
call  were  Sergeant  Norman  and  Privates  Palmer  and 
Bailey.  Into  the  face  of  the  opposing  Eussians 
the  four  dashed.  Sir  Charles'  revolver  missed  fire 
the  first  time,  but  pulling  the  trigger  again  he 
shot  his  man.  At  that  moment  a  hand  fell  on  his 
shoulder  and  the  private  behind  him  said,  "You 
were  nearly  done  for,  sir." 

"Oh  no,"  answered  the  captain;  "he  was  some 
way  from  me." 

The  soldier  indicated  another  Kussian  who  had 
come  up  at  Kussell's  back.  "  His  bayonet  was  all 
but  in  you  when  I  clouted  him  over  the  head,"  he 
said  grimly. 

Sir  Charles  saw  how  close  he  had  been  to  death's 
door.     "  What  is  your  name  ? "  he  asked. 

"  Anthony  Palmer,  sir,"  was  the  reply. 

"Well,  if  I  live  through  this  you  shall  not  be 
forgotten,"  said  Sir  Charles;  and  he  duly  kept  his 
promise.  Palmer  being  made  a  corporal  the  next 
morning.  He  received  the  Victoria  Cross  for  this 
act  later  on,  when  the  Order  was  instituted,  his  name 
being  among  the  first  to  be  submitted. 

Side  by  side  Sir  Charles  Russell  and  Palmer  (poor 
Bailey  had  already  been  killed,  and  of  Norman  there 
is  no  further  mention)  fought  their  way  to  a  part  of 
the  ledge  on  the  right,  where  they  joined  a  small 
company  of  Grenadiers  under  Captain  Burnaby.  Here 
the  fight  waged  more  fiercely  than  ever,  Burnaby 
especially  distinguishing  himself  and  winning  the  V.C. 
time  and  time  again,  though  he  never  received  it. 
The  rush  of  the  guardsmen  was  not  to  be  withstood, 
and  the  Russians  were  eventually  forced  back. 

Sir  Charles  was  awarded  the  V.C.  for  this  exploit 


THE  HEROES  OF  INKERMAN  31 

at  the  Sandbag  Battery,  receiving  it  at  the  hands  of 
his  Queen  in  Hyde  Park,  three  years  later.  He 
might  have  treasured  another  souvenir  of  the  fight, 
also,  in  the  shape  of  a  long,  black-stocked  Kussian 
rifle,  which  he  tore  from  the  hands  of  a  soldier  and 
kept  until  the  end  of  the  day. 

Another  officer  of  the  Grenadiers  who  won  similar 
distinction  at  the  Sandbag  Battery  was  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  the  Honourable  Henry  Percy  (afterwards, 
Lord  Percy).  A  number  of  his  men  at  one  time 
charged  too  far  and  became  surrounded  by  the  enemy. 
To  add  to  their  peril,  they  were  without  ammunition. 
Colonel  Percy,  coming  to  their  assistance,  successfully 
extricated  them  from  this  dangerous  position  and  led 
them  to  where  they  could  obtain  cartridges.  Just 
before  this  he  had  charged  alone  into  the  battery, 
only  being  repulsed  by  a  great  stone  that  struck  him 
senseless  to  the  ground. 

Other  eyes  than  those  of  his  own  men  were  upon 
him,  the  Duke  of  Cambridge  himself  noting  the  action 
and  having  some  warm  words  of  commendation  to  say 
afterwards. 

There  are  one  or  two  other  Inkerman  Crosses  the 
stories  of  which  remain  to  be  told. 

Lieutenant  Henry  Hugh  Clifford  won  the  right  to 
add  V.C.  to  his  name  by  a  deed  of  unusual  daring. 
While  in  charge  of  a  company  of  the  Eifle  Brigade  he 
saw  that  a  strong  body  of  Eussians  was  deploying  to 
take  one  of  our  regiments  in  the  rear.  Without 
waiting  to  obtain  an  order  to  move  from  his  position, 
he  called  to  his  men  to  follow  him,  and  charged  boldly 
into  the  midst  of  the  Eussians. 

Clifford  outdistanced  his  men  by  several  yards, 
being   mounted  while    they  were   on   foot,  and    the 


32  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

consequence  was  that  he  found  himself  alone  in  the 
enemy's  ranks.  The  fierceness  of  his  onslaught,  and 
the  belief  on  the  Kussians'  part  that  a  troop  of  cavalry 
was  behind  him,  gave  him  momentary  advantage. 
The  enemy  wavered,  and  the  Kifle  Brigade  men  coming 
up  at  the  charge,  they  soon  after  surrendered. 

It  was  cut  and  thrust  for  Clifford  while  he  was 
engaged  on  all  hands  at  once,  but  in  the  thick  of 
the  fight  he  managed  to  save  the  life  of  a  private  in 
addition  to  protecting  his  own. 

The  exploit  of  Lieutenant  Miller  of  the  Eoyal 
Artillery  bears  some  resemblance  to  the  foregoing. 
An  advancing  body  of  Kussian  infantry  bore  down 
upon  his  gun  battery  when  he  was  without  any 
support.  One  last  round  was  fired,  and  then  bidding 
his  men  "  Draw  swords  and  charge ! "  he  rode  out 
under  the  hail  of  bullets  straight  into  the  enemy's 
midst.  The  gunners  followed  to  a  man  ;  some  armed 
with  swords,  others  with  ramrods,  and  one  of  them — 
a  famous  boxer — relying  only  on  his  fists,  with  which 
he  was  seen  to  lay  many  a  Kussian  low ! 

The  greycoats  got  possession  of  the  guns,  for  desper- 
ately as  the  artillerymen  fought  they  could  not  stay 
the  enemy's  advance,  but  it  is  satisfactory  to  know 
that  the  battery  was  retaken  not  long  after  and 
fought  again  by  Miller  and  his  gallant  men. 

Yet  another  hard  fight  at  the  guns  took  place  at  a 
battery  where  Sergeant-Major  Henry  was  in  charge. 
When  the  Kussians  were  upon  them,  he  and  a  private 
named  Taylor  drew  their  swords  and  made  a  desperate 
defence.  Taylor  was  soon  slain,  however,  together 
with  nearly  all  the  other  gunners,  and  Henry  badly 
wounded.  A  bayonet  pierced  his  chest,  another  pinned 
him  in  the  back,  and  he  sank  to  the  ground. 


THE  HEROES  OF  INKERMAN  33 

As  was  their  wont,  the  Eussians  continued  to  strike 
at  the  helpless  man  as  he  lay  at  their  mercy,  the 
result  being  that  when  some  time  later  Henry  was 
rescued  and  found  to  be  alive  he  had  no  fewer  than 
twelve  terrible  wounds !  He  lived,  however,  to  wear 
his  Cross  for  Valour  with  his  fellow-artilleryman, 
Miller,  and  to  rise  to  the  rank  of  captain. 


CHAPTEK   V. 

THE    CRIMEA. WITH    THE    SAPPERS    AND   MINERS. ^IN 

TRENCH   AND    RIFLE-PIT. 

THE  battle  of  Inkerman  was  the  last  great  battle 
of  the  Crimean  campaign  fought  round  Sebastopol. 
The  rest  of  the  story  of  the  long  siege  is  one  that  deals 
with  the  heroic  if  unobtrusive  work  of  the  "  sappers 
and  miners,"  the  Eoyal  Engineers,  those  "  handy  men  " 
of  the  Army ;  with  the  tale  of  the  trenches  and  rifle- 
pits,  wherein  men  carried  their  lives  in  their  hands 
night  after  night;  with  sudden  sorties  in  the  dead 
of  night  or  the  mists  of  early  dawn;  and  with 
desperate  attempts  at  storming  the  outworks  of  the 
great  Kussian  fortress,  the  Eedan,  the  Mamelon  Tower, 
and  the  Malakoff. 

Such  a  siege  would  have  taxed  to  the  utmost  the 
powers  of  any  army,  but  when  we  remember  how  its 
difficulties  were  added  to  by  the  severity  of  the 
Russian  winter  and  the  hardships  under  which  our 
brave  soldiers  laboured  through  sickness  and  for  the 
want  of  clothing  and  other  necessities  of  life,  we  must 
account  it  a  truly  marvellous  achievement. 

Sir  William  Eussell,  who  was  the  Times  corre- 
spondent in  the  war,  fearlessly  spoke  his  mind  on  the 
scandalous  mismanagement  that  prevailed,  and  from 
his  vivid  letters  we  know  how  too  often  the  stores  ran 

34 


WITH  THE  SAPPERS  AND  MINERS        35 

out,  how  the  hospital  accommodation  was  insufficient, 
and  how  but  for  the  exertions  of  Florence  Nightingale 
and  her  band  of  devoted  nurses  we  should  have  lost 
far  more  than  the  24,000  men  who  died  from  cholera 
and  other  diseases,  or  were  killed  by  the  enemy's  bullets. 

Of  those  days  and  nights  in  the  trenches  Lord 
Wolseley  can  speak  from  experience,  for  as  a  young 
engineering  officer  he  saw  some  stirring  service  before 
Sebastopol.  The  loss  of  his  right  eye,  and  a  long 
scar  on  his  left  cheek,  bear  witness  to  one  thrilling 
night's  work  in  an  advance  sap.  He  was  out  and 
about  again,  however,  as  soon  as  possible,  for  every 
man  that  could  stand  up  was  needed. 

It  is  Lord  Wolseley 's  boast  that,  apart  from  the 
time  he  spent  in  hospital,  he  was  never  absent  from 
the  trenches  at  night  except  on  one  memorable 
occasion.  This  was  when  he  and  a  brother-officer 
made  a  hasty  Christmas  pudding  together,  compound- 
ing it  in  a  hollowed-out  shell,  with  a  shot  for  pestle. 
The  "  very  bad  suet "  which  they  got  from  Balaclava, 
or  the  fact  that  the  pudding  had  to  be  devoured  ere 
it  was  half  boiled,  may  be  accounted  sufficient 
explanation  for  the  young  officer's  breakdown.  "  At 
about  twelve  o'clock,"  he  says  pathetically,  "  I  thought 
I  was  going  to  expire." 

In  giving  the  record  of  the  V.C.  heroes  who  won 
glory  in  the  loug  months  that  elapsed  between  the 
battle  of  Inkerman  and  the  fall  of  Sebastopol,  we 
may  well  begin  with  the  Royal  Engineers,  the  popular 
"  Mudlarks,"  whose  proud  mottoes  are  "Ubique"  (every- 
where) and  "  Quo  Fas  et  Gloria  ducunt "  (where  right 
and  glory  lead).  Eight  of  the  many  Crosses  to  their 
credit  were  gained  in  the  Crimea.  Let  us  see  in 
what  manner  these  were  won. 


36  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

William  J.  Lendrim  (or  Lindrim,  for  his  name  is 
found  spelt  both  ways),  Corporal  No.  1078,  RE.,  had 
three  dates  inscribed  on  his  Cross,  February  14th, 
April  11th,  and  April  20th,  1855.  On  the  first 
occasion  he  was  sent  to  do  sapper's  work  in  a 
battery  that  was  held  by  a  hundred  and  fifty  French 
Chasseurs.  A  hot  fire  from  the  Eussian  guns  had 
wrought  dreadful  havoc  among  the  gabions  and  raked 
the  trenches,  but  Lendrim,  assuming  command  of  the 
Frenchmen,  quickly  set  to  work  to  repair  the  damage. 
With  utter  disregard  for  self,  he  was  here,  there,  and 
everywhere  at  once,  replacing  a  gabion  where  it  had 
been  struck  down,  digging  in  the  trench  and  shovel- 
ling up  earth  round  the  weak  places.  Lendrim's 
coolness  and  plucky  example  saved  that  battery  from 
demolition,  as  the  French  ofiicer  in  charge  of  the 
Chasseurs  very  properly  noted  in  his  report. 

His  second  exploit  was  to  mount  the  roof  of  a 
powder  magazine  that  had  caught  fire  and,  under 
a  perfect  hail  of  bullets,  extinguish  the  flames. 
This  was  a  danger  to  which  batteries  were  particularly 
liable,  the  live  shells  and  fire-balls  that  dropped 
among  them  soon  setting  the  basket-work  of  the 
embrasures  and  other  inflammable  parts  in  a  blaze. 
I  shall  have  something  more  to  say  about  the  "  heroes 
of  the  live  shell "  before  this  chapter  is  ended. 

The  third  date  on  our  brave  sapper's  Cross,  April 
20th,  recalls  a  very  daring  feat  on  his  part.  Out 
among  the  rifle-pits,  in  the  open,  some  Kussians  had 
erected  a  screen  of  brushwood,  barrels,  and  sailcloth, 
behind  which  they  thought  themselves  well  secure. 
A  party  of  British  sappers  who  lay  all  night  in  a 
trench  thought  otherwise.  In  the  darkness,  just 
before    dawn,   a  dozen    of    them,    prominent    among 


WITH  THE  SAPPERS  AND  MINERS        37 

whom  was  Lendrim,  dashed  out  and  with  bayonets 
fixed  charged  the  rifle-pits  and  destroyed  the 
screen. 

We  come  now  to  the  eventful  18  th  of  June,  in  the 
same  year,  when  a  desperate  assault  was  made  on 
the  Eedan,  the  while  the  French  stormed  the 
Malakoff,  some  distance  to  the  right.  With  a  column 
of  sailors  and  soldiers  that  formed  one  of  the  attack- 
ing parties  were  Lieutenant  Graham  and  Sapper 
John  Perie  of  his  own  corps.  They  had  scaling- 
ladders  and  sandbags  with  them,  but  these  were  not 
wanted  after  all,  for  the  terrific  fire  that  poured 
down  on  the  open  ground  before  the  fortress  walls 
made  it  impossible  for  the  work  to  go  forward. 

Even  then  men  were  found  willing,  nay  anxious 
to  try,  and  scores  of  redcoats  dotted  the  rocky 
ground  between  the  last  trench  and  the  abattis. 
But  it  was  a  hopeless  task — a  wanton  waste  of 
valuable  lives.  Very  reluctantly  Graham,  who  had 
taken  command,  ordered  his  men  to  retire. 

While,  in  the  security  of  the  trench,  they  waited 
for  the  Eussian  fire  to  diminish,  the  lieutenant  once 
more  showed  of  what  stuff  he  was  made.  There  was 
a  wounded  sailor  lying  out  in  front,  calling  piteously 
for  help.  An  officer  of  the  Naval  Brigade  heard 
him  first,  and  asked  for  another  volunteer  to  assist  in 
bringing  the  wounded  man  in. 

"  I'm  with  you,"  cried  Graham,  springing  up 
instantly ;  "  And  I  too,"  added  John  Perie.  And 
out  they  ran  on  their  noble  errand  of  mercy,  succeed- 
ing in  the  task  without  being  hit. 

Both  the  lieutenant  and  the  sapper  were  awarded 
the  Cross  for  their  bravery.  The  former,  as  everyone 
knows  who  has  read  the  history  of  the  Egyptian  War, 


38  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

became  the  famous  General  Sir  Gerald  Graham,  the 
victor  of  El  Teb  and  Tamai.     He  died  in  1899.| 

No  reference  to  that  disastrous  assault  on  the 
Redan  would  be  complete  without  mention  being 
made  of  Colour-Sergeant  Peter  Leitch,  V.C,  also  of 
the  Engineers.  Like  his  fellow-sapper,  Perie,  he  was 
attached  to  a  ladder-party  which  shared  the  fate  of 
defeat.  At  the  foot  of  the  fortress  the  little  party- 
was  held  in  check  by  the  pitiless  fire  of  shot  and 
shell.  Men  dropped  on  all  sides,  for  there  was  no 
cover. 

There  were  the  scaling-ladders  to  be  placed, 
however,  and  Leitch  came  forward  to  take  the  lead. 
Leaping  into  the  ditch,  he  pulled  down  gabion  after 
gabion  from  the  enemy's  parapet  until  sufficient  had 
been  secured  to  make  a  caponnUre,  filling  them  with 
earth  and  placing  them  to  afford  shelter  to  his 
comrades.  It  was  a  heroic  task,  and  many  a  wound 
did  he  receive  until  he  was  finally  disabled,  but  he 
had  the  satisfaction  of  knowing  that  he  had  done  his 
duty  well. 

Nor  does  this  conclude  the  record  of  the  gallant 
"  Mudlarks."  I  might  tell  a  stirring  story  of  how 
Lieutenant  Howard  Crauford  Elphinstone  (afterwards 
a  Major-General  and  a  K.C.B.)  did  great  deeds  in 
that  same  affair  of  the  Eedan,  rescuing  with  the  party 
of  volunteers  he  led  no  fewer  than  twenty  wounded 
men,  and  winning  the  French  Legion  of  Honour  in 
addition  to  the  Cross  for  Valour.  But  I  have  only 
room  now  to  speak  of  one  more,  John  Boss,  Corporal 
No.  997. 

Of  the  three  acts  of  gallantry  of  which  the  dates 
are  graven  on  his  Cross,  two  were  performed  for 
daring  sapping  operations  in  what  were  termed  the 


WITH  THE  SAPPERS  AND  MINERS       39 

4th  and  5  th  Parallels.  In  the  darkness  of  night 
he  and  his  men  worked  like  moles,  quietly  but 
swiftly,  connecting  (in  the  first  instance)  the  4th 
Parallel  with  a  disused  Kussian  rifle-pit,  the  line  of 
cover  thus  formed  giving  the  attacking  party  a 
tremendous  advantage  when  morning  broke  and  the 
fight  was  renewed. 

It  was  highly  dangerous  work  from  first  to  last. 
Every  few  minutes  shells  and  fire-balls  from  the 
Kussian  guns,  which  kept  up  a  constant  cannonade 
throughout  the  night,  would  fall  in  their  midst,  and 
unless  these  were  promptly  extinguished  the  havoc 
wrought  was  considerable.  But  through  it  all  they 
plied  their  spades  bravely  and  set  their  earth-filled 
gabions  in  position,  Ross  himself  doing  the  greater 
part  of  this  latter  hazardous  work. 

His  third  notable  exploit  bears  date  September 
8th,  of  the  same  year,  1855.  The  last  assault  on 
the  Redan  by  the  allied  troops  had  been  made,  but 
with  what  results  was  not  known.  Ominous  loud 
explosions  startled  the  still  night  air  every  now  and 
then,  and  the  British  and  French  troops  held  back 
uncertainly,  waiting  for  the  enemy's  next  move. 

The  cessation  of  the  Russian  cannonade  and 
musketry  fire,  however,  led  many  to  think  that  the 
greycoats  had  abandoned  their  position,  even  if  only 
temporarily.  Among  those  of  this  way  of  thinking 
was  Corporal  Ross.  Leaving  the  trench  of  the  5  th 
Parallel,  where  he  was  working,  he  set  off  alone  across 
the  intervening  ground  to  see  if  his  suspicions  were 
correct.  It  was  ticklish  work,  he  knew,  for  the 
flashes  of  the  explosions  in  the  huge  fortress  lit  up 
the  plain  vividly,  and  his  figure  showed  up  an  easy 
mark  for    any   Russian    sharpshooter  who  remained 


40  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

on  the  watch.  But  he  kept  on  until  he  reached  the 
abattis,  when  clambering  up  to  the  nearest  embrasure 
he  wormed  his  way  in. 

The  place  was  empty.  Only  a  dismantled  gun 
and  the  debris  caused  by  a  well-aimed  shell  greeted 
his  eyes.  Having  made  certain  that  he  had  not  been 
deceived,  Boss  hastened  back  to  the  lines  to  spread 
the  news.  A  party  was  at  once  formed  to  make 
another  inspection  of  the  Kedan,  Eoss  accompanying 
it  and  leading  the  way  into  the  fortress,  which  was 
found  absolutely  deserted. 

The  Redan  was  forthwith  occupied  by  our  men, 
but  the  siege  was  now  practically  over.  The  Russians 
had  retired  to  the  north  side  of  the  harbour,  evacuat- 
ing the  town. 

So  much  for  the  "  Royal  Sappers  and  Miners  " ;  we 
shall  meet  them  later  in  a  warmer  clime,  in  India, 
doing  their  duty  as  faithfully  and  performing  deeds 
every  whit  as  heroic  as  any  they  did  in  the  bleak 
wastes  of  the  Crimea. 

The  heroes  of  the  trenches  and  rifle-pits  appeal 
especially  to  the  imagination.  The  long  vigil  of 
the  sentries  as  they  paced  to  and  fro  while  their 
comrades  slept  or  worked  in  the  trench  at  their  back 
was  an  ordeal  well  calculated  to  try  the  nerves  of  even 
seasoned  soldiers.  A  goodly  proportion  of  the  guards- 
men, riflemen,  and  others  who  were  detailed  for  this 
hazardous  work  were  under  fire  in  this  campaign  for 
the  first  time  in  their  lives,  but  we  never  read  that 
they  flinched  from  the  task  imposed  upon  them. 

However  worn  and  weary  the  sentry  might  be, 
after  a  long  day  of  digging  and  hauling  sandbags, 
he  knew  he  had  to  exert  the  utmost  vigilance  while 


IN  TRENCH  AND  RIFLE-PIT  41 

on  guard.  Under  cover  of  the  darkness  it  was  a 
favourite  pastime  with  the  Eussians  to  make  sorties 
in  little  parties  of  three  and  four  from  the  fortress, 
in  the  hope  of  surprising  the  harassed  sappers  as  they 
took  a  brief  and  well-earned  rest. 

So  came  three  Eussians  one  bitterly  cold  December 
night  in  1854  to  a  small  outlying  picket  of  the 
7th  Eoyal  Fusiliers.  Private  Norman,  on  single 
sentry-go,  caught  sight  of  the  grey  figures  creeping 
stealthily  towards  him.  Firing  his  rifle  to  sound  the 
alarm,  he  rushed  forward  and  leaped  boldly  into  the 
trench  where  the  enemy  had  taken  cover.  Two  he 
seized  and  held  prisoner,  conducting  them  back  to 
the  British  lines,  but  the  third  escaped.  The  plucky 
Fusilier  got  the  Cross  for  this  action  when  the  time 
came  to  reckon  up  those  who  were  most  worthy  of 
the  honour. 

But  to  narrate  the  several  exploits  of  the  heroes 
of  the  trenches  is  to  tell  much  the  same  story  over 
and  over  again.  A  score  or  more  of  gallant  fellows — 
Moynihan,  Coleman,  Alexander,  McWheeney  (who  was 
never  absent  for  a  single  day  from  his  duties  through- 
out the  war),  and  others — braved  the  Eussian  fire 
to  dash  out  into  the  open  and  rescue  from  certain 
death  some  wounded  officer  or  private  who  lay  ex- 
posed on  the  field.  The  V.C.  was  often  earned  many 
times  over  by  these. 

Only  a  few  stand  out  from  the  rest  by  reason  of 
some  special  feature,  such  as  Private  John  Prosser 
of  the  1st  Eegiment,  who,  seeing  a  rascally  soldier 
wearing  the  Queen's  scarlet  in  the  act  of  deserting 
to  the  Eussian  lines,  jumped  out  of  his  trench  and 
chasing  the  fugitive  under  a  heavy  cross  fire  collared 
him  and  brought  him  back  to  camp — and,  let  it  be 


42  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

hoped,  swift  justice.     For   this,  and    for    rescuing    a 
wounded  comrade  later  on,  Prosser  gained  his  V.C. 

There  were,  too,  the  "  heroes  of  the  live  shell "  to 
whom  I  made  reference  some  pages  back.  Sergeant 
Ablett,  of  the  Grenadiers,  with  Privates  Strong, 
Lyons,  Coffey,  McCorrie,  and  Wheatley,  received  the 
decoration  for  this  act  of  valour.  Plump  into  the 
trench  in  which  each  delved  dropped  a  fizzing  shell, 
and  without  a  moment's  hesitation  the  plucky  fellow 
lifted  it  up  and  flung  it  over  the  parapet,  to  burst 
more  or  less  harmlessly  outside. 

Sergeant  Ablett's  shell  fell  right  among  some 
ammunition  cases  and  powder  barrels,  and  but  for  his 
prompt  action  a  terrible  explosion  would  have  taken 
place  with  much  loss  of  life.  In  Wheatley's  case  the 
stalwart  private  attempted  first  to  knock  out  the 
burning  fuse,  but  faihng  to  do  this  he  coolly  dropped 
his  rifle  and  disposed  of  the  unwelcome  intruder  with 
his  hands. 

Of  the  dashing  sorties  upon  the  Kussian  rifle-pits 
pages  might  be  written.  I  have  only  space  to  tell 
of  one  such.  It  may  well  serve  as  characteristic 
of  all.  Privates  Kobert  Humpston,  Joseph  Bradshaw, 
and  E.  McGregor  of  the  Kifle  Brigade  are  my  heroes. 

Far  out  on  the  Woronzoff  Eoad,  near  some 
formidable  quarries  that  had  served  the  Kussians 
well,  was  a  strongly  protected  rifle-pit  whence  sharp- 
shooters directed  a  deadly  fire  against  a  battery  in 
process  of  formation  by  our  men.  It  was  essential 
that  this  "  wasps*  nest "  should  be  silenced. 

Humpston  particularly  chafed  over  the  seeming 
impossibility  of  doing  this,  and  at  last  proposed  to 
two  comrades  (Bradshaw  and  McGregor)  that  they 
should  "  rush  "  the  pit.     The  two  agreed,  being  much 


IN  TRENCH  AND  RIFLE-PIT  43 

enraged,  it  is  said,  by  the  recent  sniping  of  a  bandsman 
who  was  a  special  favourite. 

Accordingly,  without  asking  for  the  leave  which 
they  knew  would  be  denied  them,  the  three  stole 
out  of  camp  one  morning  before  daybreak,  and  crept 
unobserved  towards  the  death-dealing  pit.  When 
within  a  few  yards  of  it  they  gave  a  wild  cheer  and 
charged  straight  at  the  surprised  Kussians. 

It  was  bayonet  work,  stab  and  thrust  wherever 
a  greycoat  showed.  How  many  they  killed  between 
them  is  not  recorded,  but  the  rifle-pit  was  cleared 
once  for  all  and  its  destruction  accomplished. 

All  three  privates  were  awarded  the  Victoria  Cross, 
and  Humpston,  as  the  leader,  received  prompt 
promotion,  together  with  the  sum  of  £5. 

Before  closing  this  chapter  and  passing  on  to  tell 
of  the  Crimean  naval  Crosses,  I  cannot  refrain  from 
noting  just  two  daring  deeds  that  gained  the  V.C. 
for  two  gallant  gunners  during  the  operations  before 
Sebastopol.  They  are  written  large  in  the  annals 
of  the  Order. 

Gunner  and  Driver  Arthur,  of  the  Royal  Artillery, 
was  in  an  advanced  battery  at  an  engagement  near 
the  Quarries,  when  the  7  th  Fusiliers  fighting  near 
by  him  ran  out  of  ammunition.  Arthur  promptly 
volunteered  to  supply  them,  and  although  he  had  to 
cross  repeatedly  an  open  space  on  which  a  hot  fire 
was  concentrated,  he  carried  the  ammunition  stores 
to  the  waiting  men.  But  for  his  assistance  the 
Fusiliers  must  have  had  to  abandon  the  position 
they  had  captured. 

Equally  dashing  was  Captain  Dixon's  defence  of 
his  battery.     The  latter  was  wrecked  by  a  shell  which, 


44  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

bursting  in  the  magazine,  blew  it  up  and  destroyed 
five  guns,  besides  killing  nearly  all  the  gunners.  It 
was  a  great  event  for  the  Kussians,  who  cheered  and 
danced  with  joy  at  the  result  of  the  shot. 

But  they  counted  without  Dixon.  The  sixth  gun 
of  the  battery,  although  half  buried  in  earth,  was 
still  workable.  With  some  help  he  got  the  gun  into 
position  again,  loaded  and  sent  an  answering  shot 
hurtling  into  the  enemy's  battery,  much  to  their 
surprise  and  discomfiture. 

And  it  is  to  Dixon's  lasting  glory  that  he  worked 
£hat  single  piece  until  darkness  ended  the  duel.  The 
chagrined  enemy  peppered  him  without  cessation 
throughout  the  rest  of  that  day,  but  he  bore  a  charmed 
life.  The  artillery  captain  rose  to  be  a  Major- 
General  in  after  years,  with  C.B.  after  his  name 
besides  the  letters  V.C,  while  France  honoured  him 
by  creating  him  a  Knight  of  the  Legion  of  Honour. 


CHAPTEE  VI. 

THE  CRIMEAN  CROSSES  OF  THE  NAVY. 

THE  record  of  our  Bluejackets  afloat  and  ashore  in 
the  Crimean  War  is  one  of  which  the  senior 
service  has  good  reason  to  be  proud.  While  the  siege 
of  Sebastopol  was  in  its  early  stages  a  British  fleet 
sailed  up  to  the  Baltic,  but  without  achieving  much 
result,  though  a  second  expedition  succeeded  (in  1855) 
in  doing  considerable  damage  to  the  fortress  of 
Sveaborg.  At  the  same  time  another  fleet  harassed 
the  enemy  in  the  Black  Sea  and  the  Sea  of  Azov. 
On  land  the  Naval  Brigade  did  yeoman  service  at 
Inkerman,  and  in  the  protracted  fighting  around 
Sebastopol. 

"Handy  Man  Jack"  has  never  missed  an 
opportunity  of  going  ashore  to  have  "  some  shooting 
with  them  redcoats,"  in  our  big  and  little  wars.  From 
the  days  of  Nelson,  when  they  slung  their  24-  and 
18 -pounders  on  to  Diamond  Kock,  to  the  recent  Boer 
War,  he  has  proved  himself  a  rare  fighter,  quite  as 
efficient  with  rifle  and  bayonet  as  his  brother-in-arms. 
And  the  way  he  handles  his  field-guns  must  be  the 
envy  of  the  artillery. 

In  the  history  of  the  V.C.  the  Navy  not  only 
figures  very  prominently  but  enjoys  the  proud  dis- 
tinction of  having  the  first  Cross  for  Valour  placed  to 

45 


46  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

its  credit.  The  senior  winner  of  the  decoration  is 
Eear- Admiral  C.  D.  Lucas,  R.N.,  and  the  scene  of  his 
exploit  was  Bomarsund,  in  the  Baltic. 

While  the  bombardment  of  this  port  of  the  Aland 
Islands,  which  are  situated  just  off  the  coast  of  Finland, 
was  being  carried  on  by  our  warships  under  Admiral 
Napier's  command,  a  live  shell  suddenly  dropped  on 
to  the  deck  of  H.M.S.  Hecla.  It  was  a  moment  of 
frightful  suspense  for  every  one  on  board  who  watched 
the  grim  messenger  of  death  fizzing  there  within  a 
few  yards  of  them.  But  there  was  one  man  on  deck 
who  saw  what  to  do. 

Acting-mate  Lucas,  on  duty  near  one  of  the  guns, 
promptly  ran  forward  and  with  iron  nerve  picked  up 
the  shell,  dropping  it  instantly  over  the  ship's  side. 
The  burning  fuse  sputtered  out  in  the  water,  and  the 
shell  sank  harmlessly  to  the  bottom. 

Captain  Hall,  his  commander,  brought  the  plucky 
deed  under  the  notice  of  Admiral  Napier,  who,  in 
writing  to  the  Admiralty  about  the  young  sailor's 
bravery,  trusted  that  "  their  Lordships  would  mark 
their  sense  of  it  by  promoting  him."  This  re- 
commendation was  acted  upon,  Lucas  being  at  once 
raised  to  the  rank  of  lieutenant.  When  later  on  the 
Victoria  Cross  was  instituted  the  young  officer's  name 
figured  duly  in  the  Gazette. 

Two  other  sailors  who  gained  the  V.C.  for  similar 
actions  were  Captain  William  Peel,  the  dashing  leader 
of  the  Naval  Brigade,  and  Chief  Gunner  Israel 
Harding  of  H.M.S.  Alexandra^  also  a  Crimean  veteran. 

Whole  pages  might  be  written  about  Captain  Peel's 
exploits.  All  the  time  the  naval  men  were  engaged 
with  the  troops  round  Sebastopol  he  was  ever  to  the 
fore,  leading  forlorn  hopes  and   fighting  shoulder  to 


THE  CRIMEAN  CROSSES  OF  THE  NAVY    47 

shoulder  with  his  soldier  comrades  whenever 
opportunity  offered.  At  Inkerman,  at  the  fierce 
attack  on  the  Sandbag  Battery,  he  was  in  the  thick 
of  it,  and  again  at  the  Kedan  assault. 

Peel  loved  danger  for  danger's  sake.  There  was 
no  risk  that  daunted  him.  At  the  attack  on  the 
impregnable  Shah  Nujeef,  at  Lucknow,  in  the  Indian 
Mutiny,  two  years  later,  he  led  his  gun  detachment 
right  up  to  the  loopholed  walls,  which  were  crowded 
with  rebel  sharpshooters.  He  behaved,  said  Sir  Colin 
Campbell,  "  very  much  as  if  he  had  been  laying  the 
Shannon  alongside  an  enemy's  frigate." 

It  was  Peel  who  first  demonstrated  the  practicability 
of  fighting  with  big  guns  in  the  skirmishing  line. 
"  It  is  a  truth,  and  not  a  jest,"  he  once  wrote  home, 
"  that  in  battle  we  are  with  the  skirmishers."  The 
way  in  which  the  sailors  handled  their  great  ship's 
cannon,  8-inch  guns,  24-pounders,  and  the  like,  was 
marvellous.  A  military  officer,  in  a  letter  that  was 
written  at  the  front,  gives  an  interesting  reminiscence 
of  the  Naval  Brigade.  "  Sometimes  in  these  early 
days  of  October  1854,"  he  says,  "whilst  our  soldiery 
were  lying  upon  the  ground,  weary,  languid,  and  silent, 
there  used  to  be  heard  a  strange  uproar  of  men 
coming  nearer  and  nearer.  Soon  the  comers  would 
prove  to  be  Peel  of  the  Diamond  with  a  number  of 
his  sailors,  all  busy  in  dragging  up  to  the  front  one  of 
the  ship's  heavy  guns." 

In  a  future  chapter  we  shall  meet  again  this 
intrepid  son  of  Sir  Robert  Peel,  the  great  statesman, 
winning  glory  and  renown  under  Campbell  and 
Havelock.  For  the  present  I  must  confine  myself  to 
his  career  in  the  Crimea. 

The  most  notable  of  the  three  acts,  the  dates  of 


48  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

which  are  inscribed  on  his  Cross,  was  performed  in 
October  1854,  at  the  Diamond  Battery  which  some 
of  the  Naval  Brigade  were  holding.  The  battery 
needing  fresh  ammunition,  this  had  to  be  brought  in 
by  volunteers,  for  the  horses  of  the  waggons  refused 
to  approach  the  earthworks  owing  to  the  heavy 
Kussian  fire. 

Case  by  case  it  was  carried  in  and  stacked  in  its 
place,  and  right  into  the  midst  of  it  all,  like  a  bolt 
from  the  blue,  dropped  a  shell.  Peel  jumped  for  it 
like  a  flash.  One  heave  of  his  shoulders  and  away 
went  the  "  whistle-neck "  to  burst  in  impotent  fury 
several  yards  off — outside  the  battery's  parapet. 

The  second  date  on  his  Cross  notes  the  affair  at 
the  Sandbag  Battery,  where  he  joined  the  Grenadier 
officers  and  helped  to  save  the  colours  from  capture. 
On  the  third  occasion  when  his  bravery  was  com- 
mended for  recognition  he  headed  a  ladder-party  in 
that  assault  on  the  Eedan  in  which  Graham  and 
Perie  won  such  distinction. 

In  this  attack  the  gallant  captain  was  badly 
wounded  in  the  head  and  arm,  a  misfortune  which 
was  the  means  of  gaining  the  V.C.  for  another  brave 
young  sailor.  From  the  beginning  of  the  war 
Midshipman  Edward  St.  John  Daniels  had  attached 
himself  to  Captain  Peel,  acting  as  the  latter's 
aide-de-camp  at  Inkerman.  During  the  battle  he 
was  a  conspicuous  figure,  as,  mounted  on  a  pony,  he 
accompanied  his  leader  about  the  field. 

In  the  Eedan  assault  he  was  still  by  Peel's  side, 
and  caught  him  as  he  fell  on  the  glacis.  Then, 
heedless  of  the  danger  to  which  he  was  exposed, 
he  coolly  set  to  work  to  bandage  the  wounded  man, 
tying  a  tourniquet  on  his  arm,  which  is  said  to  have 


THE  CRIMEAN  CROSSES  OF  THE  NAVY    49 

saved  Peel's  life.  This  done,  he  got  his  chief  to  a 
place  of  safety. 

Daniels  did  another  plucky  action  some  months 
earlier,  when  he  volunteered  to  bring  in  ammunition 
from  a  waggon  that  had  broken  down  outside  his 
battery.  The  fact  that  the  waggon  became  im- 
mediately the  target  for  a  murderous  fire  from  the 
Eussian  guns  weighed  little  with  him.  He  brought 
in  the  cartridges  and  powder  without  receiving  a 
scratch,  and  the  battery  cheered  to  a  man  as  the 
plucky  little  chap  scrambled  over  the  parapet  with  his 
last  armful. 

Along  with  Peel  and  Daniels  must  be  named  that 
popular  idol  William  Nathan  Wrighte  Hewett,  known 
to  his  messmates  as  "  Bully  Hewett."  He  was  nearly 
as  picturesque  a  character  as  his  commander. 

At  Sebastopol,  the  day  following  Balaclava  fight, 
Hewett  (he  was  acting-mate  at  the  time),  fought  a 
great  long-range  Lancaster  gun  that  had  been  hauled 
up  from  his  ship,  H.M.S.  Beagle.  The  gun  drew  a 
determined  attack  on  its  flank  from  a  very  large 
force  of  Eussians,  and  orders  were  sent  to  Hewett 
by  a  military  officer  to  spike  the  gun  and  abandon 
his  battery.     The  odds  were  too  overwhelming. 

In  emphatic  language  the  young  sailor  declared 
that  he'd  take  no  orders  from  anyone  but  his  own 
captain,  and  was  going  to  stick  to  his  gun. 

The  other  "  Beagles "  were  quite  of  his  opinion. 
In  quick  time  they  knocked  down  a  portion  of  the 
parapet  that  prevented  the  huge  Lancaster  bearing 
on  the  flank  and  slewed  the  piece  round.  Then, 
loading  and  firing  with  sailorly  smartness,  they 
poured  such  a  hot  fire  into  the  advancing  horde 
of  Eussians  that  the  latter  beat  a  retreat. 


50  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

They  used  the  big  gun  with  great  advantage  at 
Inkerman,  but  the  young  mate's  splendid  defence  of 
his  battery  was  enough  by  itself  to  win  him  a  well- 
deserved  V.C.  Hewett  died  eighteen  years  ago,  a 
Vice- Admiral  and  a  K.C.B. 

A  page  or  two  back  I  mentioned  Israel  Harding, 
chief  gunner,  as  a  third  naval  hero  of  the  live  shell. 
It  was  many  years  after  the  Crimean  War  that  his 
opportunity  came,  but  his  exploit  may  well  be  noted 
down  here. 

Harding  was  a  gunner  on  board  H.M.S.  Alexandra^ 
when,  in  July  1882,  Sir  Beauchamp  Seymour  (after- 
wards Lord  Alcester)  with  his  fleet  bombarded 
Alexandria.  On  the  first  day  of  the  action  (the 
11th),  a  big  10-inch  shell  from  an  Egyptian  battery 
struck  the  ironclad  and  lodged  on  the  main  deck. 
The  alarm  was  raised,  and  at  the  cry  "  Live  shell 
above  the  hatchway ! "  Harding  rushed  up  the 
companion.  There  was  luckily  a  tub  of  water  handy, 
and  having  wetted  the  fizzing  fuse  he  dumped  the 
shell  into  the  tub  just  in  the  nick  of  time. 

As  in  Lucas's  case,  promotion  quickly  followed  with 
the  gunner,  while  the  V.C.  was  soon  after  conferred 
upon  him.  The  shell,  it  may  be  of  interest  to  note, 
is  now  among  the  treasures  of  her  Majesty  the 
Queen. 

So  many  naval  heroes  call  for  attention  that  I 
must  hurry  on  to  speak  of  Lucas's  comrades  in  the 
Baltic  who  also  won  the  coveted  decoration. 

There  was  Captain  of  the  Mast  George  Ingouville, 
serving  in  the  Arrogant.  On  the  13th  of  July  1855, 
the  second  cutter  of  his  vessel  got  into  difficulties 
while  the  fleet  was  bombarding  the  town  of  Viborg. 
A  shell  having  exploded  her  magazine,  she  became 


THE  CRIMEAN  CROSSES  OF  THE  NAVY  51 

half  swamped  and  began  to  drift  quickly  to  shore. 
Observing  this,  Ingouville  dived  off  into  the  sea 
and  swam  after  the  runaway.  He  was  handicapped 
with  a  wounded  arm,  but  being  a  strong  swimmer 
he  reached  the  cutter  just  as  it  neared  a  battery. 
With  the  painter  over  his  shoulder  he  struck  out 
again  for  the  Arrogant,  and  towed  his  prize  safely 
under  her  lee. 

At  about  the  same  time  a  gallant  lieutenant 
of  Marines — now  Lieut. -Col.  George  Dare  Do  well, 
K.M.A. — did  much  the  same  thing.  When  a  rocket- 
boat  of  the  Arrogant  was  disabled  he  lowered  the 
quarter-boat  of  his  ship  the  Ruby,  and  with  three 
volunteers  rowed  to  the  other's  aid.  Dowell  not 
only  succeeded  in  saving  some  of  the  Arrogant  men, 
but  on  a  second  journey  recaptured  the  boat.  { 

It  was  a  lieutenant  of  the  Arrogant,  however, 
who  eclipsed  both  these  deeds,  brave  as  they  were. 
The  exploit  of  John  Bythesea  and  his  ship's  stoker, 
William  Johnstone,  on  the  Island  of  Wardo,  reads 
more  like  fiction  than  sober  fact.  This  is  the  story 
of  it. 

Early  in  August  of  1854  Lieutenant  Bythesea 
learned  from  a  reliable  source  that  some  highly 
important  despatches  from  the  Tsar,  intended  for 
the  General  in  charge  of  the  island,  were  expected 
to  arrive  with  a  mail  then  due.  At  once  he  con- 
ceived the  daring  idea  of  intercepting  the  despatch- 
carrier  and  securing  his  valuable  documents.  His 
superior  officers  thought  the  project  a  mad  one  when 
he  first  broached  it,  but  Bythesea  would  not  be 
gainsaid.  The  thing  was  worth  trying,  and  he  and 
Johnstone  (who  had  volunteered  his  services)  were 
the  men  to  carry  it  through  with  success.     In  the 


52  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

end  he  had  his  way,  though  when  the  two  plucky 
fellows  quitted  the  ship  on  their  hazardous  errand 
their  shipmates  bade  them  good-bye  with  little 
expectation  of  ever  seeing  them  again. 

The  lieutenant  and  the  stoker  had  disguised  them- 
selves very  effectively  in  Eussian  clothes,  and  managed 
to  get  to  land  safely.  Here  they  learned  from  their 
informant,  a  Swedish  farmer,  that  the  mail  had  not 
yet  arrived,  but  was  expected  at  any  hour.  When 
darkness  fell,  therefore,  the  two  Englishmen  found 
a  good  hiding-place  down  by  the  shore,  and  commenced 
their  vigil. 

This  was  the  evening  of  the  9  th  of  August.  It 
was  not  until  the  12th  that  the  long-awaited  mail 
came  to  land.  For  three  whole  days  and  nights  they 
had  not  ventured  from  their  concealment,  save  once 
or  twice  when  the  vigilance  of  Eussian  patrols  had 
forced  them  to  take  to  a  small  boat  and  anchor 
about  half  a  mile  off  the  coast. 

On  the  morning  of  the  12  th,  Johnstone,  who  spoke 
Swedish  fluently,  learned  from  the  friendly  farmer 
that  the  mail  had  arrived,  and  was  to  be  sent  to  the 
fort  that  night.  Great  caution  was  to  be  observed, 
the  farmer  added,  as  it  was  known  to  the  Eussians 
that  someone  from  the  British  fleet  had  landed.  At 
dark,  therefore,  the  two  took  up  their  position  at  a 
convenient  spot  and  awaited  the  coming  of  the  mail- 
bags.  In  due  course  they  heard  the  grating  of  a 
boat's  keel  on  the  beach.  A  few  Eussian  words 
of  command  were  given,  and  then  sounded  the 
tramp  of  feet  on  the  road  that  led  up  to  the  military 
station. 

The  lieutenant  and  his  companion  were  ready  at  the 
instant.     A  hasty  glance  at  their  weapons   satisfied 


THE   ESCORT    CAME   SWINGING   UP   THE    ROAD   WITHOUT   A 

SUSPICION  OF  DANGER. — Page  53. 


THE  CRIMEAN  CROSSES  OF  THE  NAVY    53 

them  that  these  were  in  order,  and  moving  a  bit 
nearer  to  the  roadway  they  waited  until  the  escort 
approached. 

In  the  dim  light  they  perceived  that  the  Eussian 
soldiers  in  charge  of  the  bags  numbered  five.  It  was 
heavy  odds,  but  the  prize  was  great.  They  could  not 
dream  of  drawing  back.  The  escort  came  swinging 
up  the  road  without  a  suspicion  of  danger,  and  just 
as  they  passed  the  spot  where  a  clump  of  bushes 
provided  secure  shelter  out  leapt  the  two  Englishmen 
with  cutlass  and  revolver. 

The  cold  steel  did  the  work  effectively;  a  pistol 
shot  would  have  raised  the  alarm.  Three  of  the 
soldiers  were  cut  down  in  the  surprise  attack,  while 
the  remaining  two  yielded  themselves  prisoners  to 
these  redoubtable  assailants.  As  quickly  as  possible 
prisoners  and  mail-bags  were  hurried  to  the  water's 
edge,  where  a  boat  lay  in  readiness  for  them. 

In  half  an  hour's  time  the  despatches  were  being 
examined  in  the  captain's  cabin  on  board  the  Arrogant ^ 
their  contents  proving  to  be  of  the  utmost  importance. 
Bythesea  had  captured  the  details  of  certain  extensive 
operations  planned  against  the  Baltic  fleet  of  the  Allies 
and  the  army  in  the  South.  Such  a  service  was 
worthy  of  the  highest  honour,  and  both  the  lieutenant 
and  Stoker  Johnstone  received  the  Cross  for  Valour  for 
that  desperate  night's  work. 

Down  in  the  South,  in  the  Sea  of  Azov,  which  the 
map  shows  us  to  lie  just  north  of  the  Black  Sea,  our 
Bluejackets  were  doing  splendid  service  in  the  latter 
months  of  1855.  The  towns  of  Genitchesk  and 
Taganrog  were  shelled  with  great  loss  to  the  Eussians, 
but  as  they  moved   their   stores   farther  inland  the 


54  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

occasion  arose  for  individual  expeditions  which  aimed 
at  destroying  these.  The  story  of  the  fleet's  operations 
in  this  quarter,  therefore,  resolves  itself  into  a  relation 
of  the  several  attempts,  successful  and  otherwise,  to 
harass  the  enemy  in  this  way. 

That  the  task  of  setting  fire  to  the  store  buildings 
was  attended  with  tremendous  risk  was  proved  over 
and  over  again.  One  or  two  daring  spirits,  including 
a  French  captain,  were  caught  and  shot  by  Cossack 
patrols.  But  there  are  always  men  to  be  found  ready 
— nay,  anxious — to  undertake  enterprises  of  so 
desperate  a  nature. 

Wellington  had  the  renowned  scout.  Major 
Colquhoun  Grant  (whose  adventures  in  the  Peninsula 
teem  with  romance),  doing  wonderful  "  intelligence " 
work  for  him ;  and  to  come  to  more  recent  times,  we 
may  call  to  mind  Lord  Kitchener's  daring  journey 
through  the  Soudan  in  1884,  disguised  as  an  Arab, 
for  the  purpose  of  learning  what  were  the  intentions 
of  the  various  tribes  with  regard  to  Egypt. 

In  the  Crimea  such  men  as  Lieutenants  Day, 
Buckley,  Burgoyne,  and  Commerell  acted  as  the  eyes 
and  ears  of  their  commanders,  and  volunteered  for 
those  little  jobs  that  so  infuriated  the  Kussians  when 
the  red  glow  in  the  midnight  sky  showed  them  where 
stacks  of  forage  and  other  stores  blazed  merrily. 

Day's  V.C.  was  awarded  him  for  a  most  valuable 
piece  of  work.  His  ship  was  stationed  off  Genitchesk 
(frequently  spelt  Genitchi),  in  the  north-eastern  corner 
of  the  Crimea,  and  it  was  deemed  necessary  to 
reconnoitre  the  enemy's  lines  to  ascertain  the  full 
strength  of  the  Russians.  For  this  dangerous  service 
the  young  lieutenant  volunteered. 

Accordingly,  one  night  he  was  landed  alone  on  the 


THE  CRIMEAN  CROSSES  OF  THE  NAVY  55 

Tongue,  or  Spit,  of  Arabat,  at  the  spot  he  had  chosen 
whence  to  start.  Cossacks,  singly  or  in  small 
companies,  policed  the  marshy  wastes,  but  Day 
wriggled  his  way  between  their  posts  and  eventually 
got  close  to  the  Eussian  gunboats.  The  dead  silence 
that  prevailed  misled  him  as  to  the  numbers  thereon, 
and  convinced  that  the  vessels  were  deserted  he 
returned  to  report  the  facts  to  his  captain. 

The  next  day  circumstances  induced  him  to  suppose 
that  he  had  been  mistaken.  He  decided  to  make 
a  second  journey  without  loss  of  time,  and  one  night 
very  soon  afterwards  saw  him  again  on  the  Spit. 
Day  soon  discovered  that  large  reinforcements  had 
arrived  on  the  mainland,  and  at  once  made  haste  to 
return  to  his  ship. 

The  long  detours  he  was  now  obliged  to  make, 
to  avoid  contact  with  the  Cossack  sentries,  led  him 
through  quagmires  and  over  sandy  stretches  that 
severely  tried  his  endurance.  When  he  reached  the 
shore  at  last,  well-nigh  exhausted,  nearly  ten  hours 
had  elapsed  since  his  start,  and  it  is  not  surprising 
that,  having  heard  shots  fired,  his  comrades  had 
given  him  up  for  lost.  He  got  back  after  a  most 
providential  escape,  however,  and  made  his  report. 
But  for  his  discoveries  an  attempt  would  certainly 
have  been  made  to  seize  the  Eussian  boats,  in  which 
case  the  result  must  have  been  disastrous. 

Lieutenants  Buckley  and  Burgoyne  distinguished 
themselves  by  landing  near  Genitchesk  at  night  and 
firing  some  immense  supplies  of  stones.  With  the 
seaman,  Eobarts,  who  accompanied  them,  they  were 
nearly  cut  off  by  Cossacks  on  their  return,  and  only 
a  fierce  fight  enabled  them  to  escape.  All  three  won 
the  V.C.  for  this  daring  piece  of  work. 


56  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

Lieutenant  Commerell  (afterwards  Admiral  Sir 
J.  E.  Commerell,  G.C.B.)  performed  a  like  action 
later  on  the  same  year,  which  gained  the  V.C.  for 
him  and  one  of  his  two  companions,  Quartermaster 
Eickard. 

Their  objective  was  the  Crimean  shore  of  the 
Putrid  Sea,  on  the  western  side  of  the  Spit  of  Arabat. 
They  accomplished  their  task  successfully,  setting  fire 
to  400  tons  of  Eussian  corn  and  forage,  but  were 
chased  by  Cossacks  for  a  long  distance.  In  the 
helter-skelter  rush  back  for  the  boat,  about  three 
miles  away,  the  third  man  of  the  party,  Able-Seaman 
George  Milestone,  fell  exhausted  in  a  swamp,  and  but 
for  CommerelFs  and  Eickard's  herculean  exertions 
must  have  fallen  a  victim  to  the  enemy. 

Making  what  is  popularly  known  as  a  "  bandy- 
chair,"  by  clasping  each  other's  wrists,  the  two  officers 
managed  to  carry  their  companion  a  considerable 
distance.  A  party  of  Cossacks  at  this  juncture  had 
nearly  succeeded  in  cutting  them  off,  but  the  sailors  in 
the  boat  now  opened  fire,  while  Commerell,  dropping 
his  burden  for  a  moment,  brought  down  the  leading 
horseman  by  a  bullet  from  his  revolver.  This  for- 
tunately checked  the  Cossacks,  who  were  only  some 
sixty  yards  away,  and  by  dint  of  half  carrying,  half 
dragging  Milestone,  the  plucky  lieutenant  and  quarter- 
master eventually  got  him  to  the  boat,  and  were  soon 
out  of  reach  of  their  pursuers. 

The  foregoing  deeds  of  derring-do  worthily  uphold 
the  finest  traditions  of  the  Eoyal  Navy.  How  more 
largely  still  was  the  "  First  Line  "  to  write  its  name 
in  the  annals  of  the  Victoria  Cross  will  be  seen  in 
the  succeeding  pages. 


CHAPTEE   VII. 

PERSIA. HOW    THE    SQUARE    WAS    BROKEN. 

AMONG  our  little  wars  of  the  last  century  that 
with  Persia  must  not  be  passed  over  here, 
inasmuch  as  it  was  the  means  of  three  distinguished 
British  ofiQcers  winning  the  V.C.  These  were 
Captain  John  Wood,  of  the  Bombay  Native  Infantry, 
and  Lieutenants  A.  T.  Moore  and  J.  G.  Malcolmson, 
of  the  Bombay  Light  Cavalry. 

The  war  originated  in  the  persistent  ill-treatment 
of  British  residents  at  Teheran,  and  in  the  insults 
offered  to  our  Minister  at  the  Persian  Court,  Mr. 
Murray.  No  apologies  being  forthcoming,  diplomatic 
relations  were  broken  off  early  in  1856.  In 
November  of  the  same  year,  after  fruitless  attempts 
had  been  made  to  patch  up  the  quarrel,  Persia 
revealed  the  reason  for  her  hostility  by  violating  her 
treaty  and  capturing  Herat,  and  war  was  declared. 

Herat  from  time  immemorial  had  been  subject  to 
Afghanistan,  and  as,  from  its  position  on  the  high  road 
from  India  to  Persia,  it  formed  the  key  of  Afghanistan, 
it  was  long  coveted  by  the  Shah.  He  laid  violent 
hands  upon  it  in  1838,  but  the  British  Government 
made  him  withdraw.  This  second  insolent  defiance 
of  our  warnings  could  not  be  borne  with  equanimity ; 
a    force    comprising    two    British    and    three    native 

57 


58  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

regiments  was  despatched  from  India  to  read  the 
Persian  monarch  a  lesson.  Sir  James  Outram  com- 
manded the  expedition.  The  capture  of  Bushire  was 
the  first  success  scored  by  the  British  troops,  and  it 
was  in  the  attack  on  this  coast  town  in  the  Persian 
Gulf  that  Captain  Wood  gained  his  Cross. 

At  the  head  of  a  grenadier  company  Wood  made 
a  rush  for  the  fort.  Persian  soldiers  were  in  force 
behind  the  parapet,  and  a  hot  rifle-fire  was  poured 
into  the  advancing  infantry,  but  under  the  inspiration 
of  their  leader  they  held  bravely  on.  The  captain 
was  the  first  to  mount  the  wall,  where  his  tall  figure 
instantly  became  a  target  for  the  enemy.  A  score 
of  rifles  were  levelled  at  him,  and  some  six  or  seven 
bullets  found  their  mark  in  his  body. 

Badly  wounded  as  he  was.  Wood  jumped  down  into 
the  midst  of  the  enemy,  killing  their  leader  and 
striking  terror  into  the  hearts  of  the  rest.  This 
desperate  charge,  completed  by  his  men,  who  had 
quickly  swarmed  up  the  parapet  after  him,  carried 
the  day.  The  fort  was  surrendered  with  little  more 
opposition. 

The  feat  of  arms,  however,  which  led  to  Lieutenants 
Moore  and  Malcolmson  being  decorated,  was  of  even 
greater  brilliancy.  To  Moore  belongs  the  almost 
unique  distinction  of  having  broken  a  square. 

It  was  at  Khoosh-ab  that  his  act  of  heroism  took 
place.  Near  this  village,  some  way  inland  behind 
Bushire,  the  Persians  were  massed  about  eight 
thousand  strong.  Outram's  little  army  had  made 
a  successful  advance  into  the  interior  and  routed  the 
Persian  troops  with  considerable  loss  on  their  side, 
and  was  now  making  its  way  back  to  the  coast. 
Surprise    attacks    at    night    had   been  frequent,  but 


HOW  THE  SQUARE  WAS  BROKEN       59 

this  was  the  first  attempt  to  make  a  determined  stand 
against  our  troops. 

It  was  by  a  singular  irony  of  fate  that  in  this  war 
we  should  have  had  to  fight  against  soldiers  trained 
in  the  art  of  war  by  British  ofiicers.  But  so  it  was. 
After  Sir  John  Malcolm's  mission  to  Persia  in  1810, 
the  Shah  set  to  work  to  remodel  his  army  among 
other  institutions,  and  British  officers  were  borrowed 
for  the  purpose  of  bringing  it  to  a  state  of  efficiency. 
The  soldiers  who  gave  battle  to  our  troops  at 
Khoosh-ab,  therefore,  on  February  8th,  1857,  were 
not  raw  levies.  But,  for  all  that,  when  it  '^-ame  to  a 
pitched  battle  the  Persians  showed  great  pusillanimity. 
At  the  charges  of  the  Bengal  Cavalry  their  horsemen 
scattered  like  chaff  before  the  wind. 

Most  of  the  infantry,  too,  fled  when  Forbes' 
turbaned  sowars  of  the  3rd  Bengals  and  Poonah 
Horse  rode  down  upon  them,  as  panic-stricken  as  the 
cavalry.  But  there  was  one  regiment  that,  to  its 
honour,  stood  firm.  In  proper  square  formation  they 
awaited  the  onset  of  the  charge,  the  front  rank  kneel- 
ing with  fixed  bayonets,  and  those  behind  firing  in 
volleys. 

With  his  colonel  by  his  side.  Lieutenant  Moore 
led  his  troop  of  the  Bengals  when  the  order  was 
given  to  charge,  but  Forbes  having  been  hit  the 
young  officer  found  himself  alone.  He  had  doubtless 
read  of  Arnold  Winkelried's  brave  deed  at  Sempach, 
when  "in  arms  the  Austrian  phalanx  stood,"  but 
whether  this  was  in  his  mind  or  not  he  resolved  on 
a  bold  course.     He  would  "  break  the  square." 

As  he  neared  the  front  rank  of  gleaming  steel, 
above  which,  through  the  curls  of  smoke,  appeared 
the  dark  bearded  faces  of  the  Persians,  Moore  pulled 


6o  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

his  charger's  head  straight,  drove  in  his  spurs,  and 
leapt  sheer  on  to  the  raised  bayonets.  The  splendid 
animal  fell  dead  within  the  square,  pinning  its  rider 
beneath  its  body ;  but  the  lieutenant  was  up  and  on 
his  feet  in  an  instant,  while  through  the  gap  he  had 
made  the  sowars  charged  after  him. 

In  his  fall  Moore  had  the  misfortune  to  break  his 
sword,  and  he  was  now  called  on  to  defend  himself 
with  but  a  few  inches  of  steel  and  a  revolver.  Seeing 
his  predicament,  the  Persians  closed  round  him,  eager 
to  avenge  their  defeat  on  the  man  who  had  broken 
their  square.  Against  these  odds  he  must  inevitably 
have  gone  under  had  not  help  been  suddenly  forth- 
coming. 

Luckily  for  him,  his  brother-officer.  Lieutenant 
Malcolmson,  saw  his  danger.  Spurring  his  horse,  he 
dashed  through  the  throng  of  Persians  to  his  com- 
rade's aid,  laying  a  man  low  with  each  sweep  of  his 
long  sword.  Then,  bidding  Moore  grip  a  stirrup,  he 
clove  a  way  free  for  both  of  them  out  of  the  press. 
What  is  certainly  a  remarkable  fact  is  that  neither 
of  the  two  received  so  much  as  a  scratch. 

Malcolmson's  plucky  rescue  was  noted  for  recogni- 
tion when  the  proper  time  came,  and  in  due  course 
he  and  Moore  received  their  V.C.'s  together.  The 
former  died  a  few  years  ago,  but  Moore  is  still  with 
us,  a  Major-General  and  a  C.B. 


CHAPTEE    VIII. 

INDIA. THE    GALLANT    NINE   AT    DELHL 

THE  early  part  of  the  year  1857  saw  the  outburst 
of  the  Indian  Mutiny  which  was  to  startle  the 
world  by  its  unparalleled  horrors  and  shake  to  its 
foundations  our  rule  in  India.  Never  before  was  a 
mere  handful  of  white  men  called  upon  to  face  such 
a  fearful  ordeal  as  fell  to  the  lot  of  the  38,000 
soldiers  who  were  sprinkled  all  over  the  North-West 
Provinces,  and  the  record  of  that  splendid  struggle  for 
mastery  is  one  that  thrills  every  Englishman's  heart 
with  pride. 

There  are  pages  in  it  that  one  would  willingly  blot 
out,  for  from  the  outset  some  terrible  blunders  were 
committed.  Inaction,  smothered  in  "  the  regulations, 
Section  XVII.,"  allowed  mutiny  to  rear  its  head  un- 
checked and  gain  strength,  until  the  time  had  almost 
passed  when  it  could  be  stamped  out.  But  if  there 
were  cowards  and  worse  among  the  old-school  British 
officers  of  that  day,  there  were  not  wanting  those  who 
knew  how  to  cope  with  the  peril.  We  are  glad  to 
forget  Hewitt  and  those  who  erred  with  him  in  the 
memory  of  Lawrence,  Nicholson,  Edwardes,  Chamber- 
lain, and  the  many  other  heroes  who  came  to  the 
front. 

In  every  great  crisis  such  as  that  which  shook 

6x 


62  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

India  in  1857  the  occasion  has  always  found  the 
man.  The  Sepoy  revolt  was  the  means  of  bringing 
into  prominence  hundreds  of  men  unsuspected  of 
either  genius  or  heroism,  and  of  giving  them  a  high 
niche  in  the  temple  of  fame.  Young  subalterns 
suddenly  thrust  into  positions  of  command,  with  the 
lives  of  women  and  children  in  their  hands,  displayed 
extraordinary  courage  and  resource,  and  the  annals  of 
the  Victoria  Cross  bear  witness  to  the  magnificent 
spirit  of  devotion  which  animated  every  breast. 

One  hundred  and  eighty-two  Crosses  were  awarded 
for  acts  of  valour  performed  in  the  Mutiny,  the  list  of 
recipients  including  ofiBcers  of  the  highest,  and  privates 
of  the  humblest,  rank ;  doctors  and  civilians ;  men 
and  beardless  boys.  In  the  following  pages  I  shall 
describe  some  of  the  deeds  which  won  the  decora- 
tion and  which  stand  out  from  the  rest  as  especially 
notable,  beginning  with  the  historic  episode  of 
"the  Gallant  Nine"  at  Delhi. 

The  Indian  Mutiny  was  not  in  its  inception  the 
revolution  that  some  historians  have  averred  it  to  be. 
It  was  a  military  mutiny  arising  from  more  or  less 
real  grievances  of  the  sepoys,  to  which  the  affair  of 
the  "greased"  cartridges  served  as  the  last  straw. 
Moreover,  it  was  confined  to  one  Presidency,  that  of 
Bengal,  and  it  is  incorrect  to  say  that  the  conspiracy 
was  widespread  and  that  a  large  number  of  native 
princes  and  rajahs  were  at  the  bottom  of  it. 

As  a  matter  of  fact  only  two  dynastic  rulers — 
the  execrable  Nana  Sahib  and  the  Eanee  of  Jhansi 
— lent  it  their  support.  The  majority  of  the  native 
princes,  among  them  being  the  powerful  Maharajah  of 
Pattiala,  sided  with  the  British  from  the  first,  and  it 


THE  GALLANT  NINE  AT  DELHI  63 

was  their  fidelity,  with  their  well-trained  troops,  which 
enabled  us  to  keep  the  flag  flying  through  that  awful 
time. 

"  There  were  sepoys  on  both  sides  of  the  entrench- 
ments at  Lucknow,"  says  Dr.  Fitchett  in  his  Tale  of 
the  Great  Mutiny.  "  Counting  camp  followers,  native 
servants,  etc.,  there  were  two  black  faces  to  every 
white  face  under  the  British  flag  which  fluttered  so 
proudly  over  the  historic  ridge  at  Delhi.  The  '  pro- 
tected '  Sikh  chiefs  kept  British  authority  from 
temporary  collapse  betwixt  the  Jumna  and  the  Sutlej. 
They  formed  what  Sir  Kichard  Temple  calls  '  a  political 
breakwater,'  on  which  the  fury  of  rebellious  Hindustan 
broke  in  vain."  Had  the  Mutiny  indeed  been  a 
national  uprising,  what  chances  would  the  38,000 
white  soldiers  have  had  against  the  millions  of  natives 
who  comprised  India's  population  ? 

It  is  important  to  bear  all  this  in  mind  while 
following  the  course  of  events  which  marked  the 
progress  of  revolt.  We  shall  not  then  get  such  a 
distorted  picture  of  the  whole  as  is  too  frequently 
presented  to  us. 

The  Mutiny  was  a  military  one,  as  I  have  said. 
It  began  prematurely  in  an  outbreak  at  Barrackpore, 
on  March  29,  1857.  Here  a  drunken  fanatical 
sepoy,  named  Mungul  Pandy,  shot  two  British 
officers  and  set  light  to  the  "  human  powder  magazine," 
which  was  all  too  ready  to  explode.  On  the  10th  of 
May  following  came  the  tragedy  of  Meerut,  where 
the  3rd  Bengal  Light  Cavalry,  the  11th  and  20th 
Kegiments  of  Native  Infantry  rose  and  massacred 
every  European  not  in  the  British  lines,  and  this 
despite  the  presence  there  of  a  strong  troop  of  horse 
artillery  and  a  regiment  of  rifles,  1000  strong ! 


64  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

After  the  carnage  at  Meerut  the  mutinous  sowars 
poured  out  unchecked  along  the  high  road  to  Delhi, 
to  spread  the  news  of  their  success  and  claim  in  the 
old,  enfeebled  pantaloon  Mogul  king  in  that  city  a 
political  head  to  their  revolt.  Delhi  received  them 
open-armed.  There  were  no  British  troops  there,  by 
special  treaty,  only  a  few  Englishmen  in  charge  of 
the  great  magazine  and  its  stores. 

It  is  quite  clear  that  the  31st  of  May  (a  Sunday) 
was  the  day  fixed  for  the  sepoy  regiments  in  Bengal 
to  rise  simultaneously.  Unforeseen  events  had  pre- 
cipitated the  catastrophe  by  a  few  weeks.  In  Delhi, 
which  was  a  nest  of  treason  and  intrigue,  arrange- 
ments had  been  perfected  for  the  outbreak  there,  one 
of  the  first  objects  to  be  attained  being  the  seizure  of 
its  arsenal.  Hither,  then,  the  mutineers  turned  at 
once  after  their  triumphant  entry. 

The  magazine  of  Delhi  was  a  huge  building  standing 
about  six  hundred  yards  from  the  main-guard  of  the 
Cashmere  Gate.  Within  its  four  walls  were  guns, 
shells,  powder,  rifles,  and  stores  of  cartridges  in  vast 
quantities,  from  which  the  mutineers  had  relied  upon 
arming  themselves.  .  And  to  defend  this  priceless 
storehouse  there  was  but  a  little  band  of  nine  English- 
men, for  the  score  or  so  of  sepoys  under  their 
command  could  not  be  depended  on. 

The  Nine  comprised  Lieutenant  George  Willoughby, 
Captains  Forrest  and  Eaynor,  Sergeants  Stuart  and 
Edwards,  and  four  Conductors,  Buckley,  Shaw,  Scully, 
and  Crowe.  Willoughby  was  in  charge,  a  quiet- 
mannered,  slow-speaking  man,  but  possessed  of  that 
moral  courage  which  is  perhaps  the  highest  of  human 
attributes.  When  the  shouting  horde  from  Meerut 
swarmed  in  and  began  to  massacre  every  white  person 


THE  GALLANT  NINE  AT  DELHI  65 

they  met,  he  called  his  assistants  inside  the  courtyard 
and  locked  the  great  gates.  At  all  costs  the  magazine 
must  be  saved  from  falling  into  the  hands  of  the 
mutineers. 

There  was  not  a  man  of  the  eight  but  shared 
his  leader's  determination.  With  set,  grim  faces 
they  went  about  their  work,  preparing  for  the  attack 
which  must  come  sooner  or  later.  There  were  ten 
guns  to  be  placed  in  position,  several  gates  to  be 
bolted  and  barred,  and,  last  of  all,  the  mine  to  be 
laid  beneath  the  magazine.  Help  would  surely  come 
— come  along  that  very  road  down  which  the  sowars 
of  the  3rd  Bengal  Cavalry  had  galloped  with  blood- 
stained swords  and  tunics.  But  if  it  did  not,  the 
Nine  knew  their  duty  and  would  not  flinch  from 
doing  it. 

With  all  possible  speed  the  front  entrance  and 
other  important  vulnerable  points  were  covered  with 
howitzers,  loaded  with  grape-shot.  Arms  had  been 
served  out  to  all,  including  the  native  employees, 
but  the  latter  only  waited  the  opportunity  to  escape. 
In  the  meantime  Conductor  Buckley  saw  to  the 
laying  of  the  mine,  connecting  it  with  a  long  thin 
line  of  powder  that  ran  out  to  the  centre  of  the 
courtyard  under  a  little  lemon  tree. 

Conductor  Scully  begged  for  the  honour  of  firing 
the  train  when  the  fatal  moment  came,  and  obtained 
his  desire.  A  signal  (the  raising  of  a  cap)  was  then 
arranged  to  be  given,  at  which  he  was  to  apply  his 
port-fire  to  the  fuse. 

All  being  at  last  in  readiness,  the  Nine  stood  at 

their  several  posts  waiting    for  the  enemy  to  make 

the  first  move.     They  had  not  to  wait  long.     Within 

half  an  hour  came    an    urgent   messenger  from  the 

5 


66  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

Palace  bearing  a  written  summons  to  Willoughby  to 
surrender  the  magazine.  The  Head  of  the  Nine  tore 
up  the  paper  and  gave  his  answer. 

Soon  after  appeared  a  body  of  sepoys,  men  of  the 
Palace  Guard  and  of  the  revolted  Meerut  regiments, 
with  a  rabble  of  city  people. 

"  Open  the  gates  ! "  they  cried.  "  In  the  name  of 
the  King  of  Delhi,  open  the  gates ! " 

Getting  the  same  curt  refusal  that  had  greeted 
the  previous  summons,  some  went  off  for  scaling- 
ladders,  and  as  they  heard  these  being  fixed  against 
the  outer  wall  the  Nine  knew  the  moment  for  action 
had  come.  The  sepoy  employees  of  the  Arsenal 
were  in  full  flight  now,  but  Willoughby  let  them  go. 
He  had  no  shot  to  spare  for  them.  So  over  the 
walls  they  scrambled,  like  rats  deserting  a  sinking 
ship,  to  join  their  compatriots  without. 

As  the  last  man  of  them  disappeared  the  rush  of 
the  mutineers  began.  Swarming  up  the  ladders 
they  lined  the  walls,  whence  they  fired  upon  the 
brave  group  of  defenders,  while  the  more  intrepid 
among  them  leapt  boldly  down  into  the  yard.  The 
rifles  of  the  Nine  rang  out  sharply;  then  at  the 
word  "  Fire ! "  the  big  guns  poured  their  charges  of 
grape  into  the  huddled  mass  of  rebels. 

By  this  time  a  gate  had  been  burst  open,  and  here 
the  24-pounder  was  booming  its  grim  defiance.  The 
sepoys  hung  back  in  check  for  some  minutes  before 
the  rain  of  shot.  Behind  them,  however,  was  a 
rapidly  increasing  crowd,  filling  the  air  with  the 
cry  of  faith — "  Deen  !  Deen  ! "  and  calling  on  their 
brothers  in  the  front  to  kill,  and  kill  quickly.  At 
this,  though  the  ground  was  littered  with  dead,  the 
rushes  became  more  daring   and  the  yard  began  to 


THE  GALLANT  NINE  AT  DELHI  67 

fill  with  dusky  forms,  driving  the  Englishmen  farther 
back. 

The  end  was  very  near  now.  The  sepoys  were 
dangerously  close  to  the  guns,  and  Willoughby  realised 
that  in  a  few  moments  he  would  have  to  give  the 
fatal  signal.  One  last  quick  glance  up  the  white 
streak  of  road  showed  him  no  sign  of  approaching 
aid.     They  were  helpless — doomed  ! 

Willoughby  threw  a  last  charge  into  the  gun  he 
himself  worked. 

"  One  more  round,  men,"  he  said,  "  and  then — 
we've  done." 

The  big  pieces  thundered  again  in  the  face  of  the 
dark  crowd  by  the  broken  gate,  and  at  the  groups 
along  the  wall.  Then,  dropping  his  fuse,  Scully  ran 
swiftly  to  the  lemon  tree  where  the  post  of  honour 
was  his. 

It  had  been  arranged  that  Buckley  should  give 
the  signal  at  a  word  from  Willoughby,  but  the  brave 
conductor  was  bowled  over  with  a  ball  in  his  elbow. 
It  fell  to  Willoughby  himself,  therefore,  to  make  the 
sign.  He  raised  his  cap  from  his  head,  as  if  in 
salute,  and  the  same  moment  Scully  bent  down  with 
his  port-fire  over  the  powder  train. 

There  was  a  flash  of  flame  across  the  yard  to  the 
door  of  the  big  store  building,  a  brief  instant  of 
suspense,  and  then,  with  a  deafening  roar  which  shook 
Delhi  from  end  to  end,  the  great  magazine  blew  up. 

A  dense  column  of  smoke  and  debris  shot  high  up 
into  the  sky,  which  was  lit  with  crimson  glory  by 
the  leaping  flames.  The  smoke  hung  there  for  hours, 
like  a  black  pall  over  the  city,  a  sign  for  all  who 
could  read  that  the  Huzoors,  the  Masters,  had  given 
their  first  answer  of  defiance  to  Mutiny. 


68  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

In  that  tremendous  explosion  close  on  a  thousand 
mutineers  perished,  crushed  by  the  falling  walls  and 
masonry.  Of  the  devoted  Nine  five  were  never  seen 
again,  among  them  being  Conductor  Scully.  The 
four  survivors,  Willoughby,  Buckley,  Forrest,  and 
Raynor,  smoke-blackened  and  unrecognisable,  escaped 
into  the  country  outside  the  walls,  and  set  off  for 
Meerut,  the  nearest  British  cantonment. 

Forrest  and  Buckley,  both  badly  wounded,  arrived 
safely  there  with  Kaynor,  to  tell  the  story  of  their 
deed ;  but  Willoughby,  who  had  separated  from  them, 
was  less  fortunate.  His  companions  learned  of  their 
brave  leader's  fate  some  time  after,  when  a  native 
brought  news  of  how  some  five  British  officers  had 
been  waylaid  and  cut  to  pieces  near  Koomhera. 
Willoughby  formed  one  of  the  doomed  party. 

It  was  a  sad  ending  to  a  fine  career,  and  throughout 
India  and  England  the  keenest  regret  was  felt  that 
he  had  not  lived  to  receive  the  V.C.  with  which,  in 
due  course,  each  of  his  three  comrades  was  decorated. 


CHAPTEK   IX. 

INDIA. WITH    SABRE   AND    GUN    AGAINST   SEPOY. 

THE  siege  of  Delhi,  which  was  begun  a  month 
after  the  rebellion  had  broken  out,  ranks  with 
the  most  historic  sieges  of  modern  times.  In  its 
course  it  yielded  many  notable  Crosses. 

Defended  by  high  bastions  and  walls  of  solid 
masonry,  the  city  proved  a  hard  nut  to  crack,  and 
Generals  Barnard  and  Wilson,  who  conducted  the 
operations  with  an  army  of  British,  Afghan,  Sikh,  and 
Ghurka  troops,  spent  several  months  before  reducing 
the  stronghold.  Even  then  its  capture  was  only 
made  possible  by  the  arrival  of  a  siege  train  under 
Brigadier-General  John  Nicholson. 

To  Nicholson  belongs  a  great  share  of  the  credit  for 
the  fall  of  Delhi.  By  a  series  of  remarkable  forced 
marches  he  brought  a  strong  force  of  artillery  and 
British  and  Sikh  soldiers  from  the  Punjab  to  the 
Eidge  at  Delhi,  which  added  greatly  to  the  strength 
of  the  army  there  encamped.  And  by  his  impetuosity 
in  council  he  compelled  the  wavering  General  Wilson 
to  decide  on  the  final  assault  in  September. 

Before  I  come  to  this  point,  however,  I  have  to 
tell  of  some  gallant  deeds  that  were  performed  in  the 
fighting  round  Delhi.  While  the  army  lay  on  the 
Eidge  preparing  for  its  leap  upon  the  rebel  city,  a 

69 


70  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

number  of  engagements  with  the  enemy  took  place. 
These  were  mostly  of  a  very  desperate  character,  and 
the  individual  deeds  of  some  who  distinguished 
themselves  therein  were  fittingly  rewarded  with  the 
Cross  for  Valour. 

In  one  of  the  sorties  made  by  the  sepoys  at  Delhi 
in  July  of  that  year,  1857,  Lieutenant  Hills  and 
Major  Tombs,  of  the  Bengal  Horse  Artillery,  had  a 
fierce  encounter  with  the  rebels,  which  gained  the  V.C. 
for  each  of  them. 

With  a  cavalry  picket  and  two  guns,  Hills  was  on 
outpost  duty  on  the  trunk  road,  near  a  piece  of  high 
ground  called  the  Mound,  when  a  large  body  of  sepoy 
sowars  from  the  city  charged  upon  him.  The  picket, 
taken  by  surprise,  took  to  flight  and  left  the  guns 
undefended,  but  Hills  remained  at  his  post.  To  save 
his  guns  and  give  the  gunners  a  chance  of  opening 
fire  was  the  plucky  lieutenant's  first  thought,  so 
clapping  spurs  to  his  horse  he  bore  down  alone  on 
the  enemy. 

In  narrating  the  incident  himself  he  says :  "  I 
thought  that  by  charging  them  I  might  make  a 
commotion,  and  give  the  guns  time  to  load,  so  in  I 
went  at  the  front  rank,  cut  down  the  first  fellow, 
slashed  the  next  across  the  face  as  hard  as  I  could, 
when  two  sowars  charged  me.  Both  their  horses 
crashed  into  mine  at  the  same  moment,  and,  of  course, 
both  horse  and  myself  were  sent  flying.  We  went 
down  at  such  a  pace  that  I  escaped  the  cuts  made  at 
me,  one  of  them  giving  my  jacket  an  awful  slice  just 
below  the  left  arm — it  only,  however,  cut  the  jacket. 

"  Well,  I  lay  quite  snug  until  all  had  passed  over 
me,  and  then  got  up  and  looked  about  for  my  sword. 
I  found  it  full  ten  yards  off.     I  had  hardly  got  hold  of 


WITH  SABRE  AND  GUN  AGAINST  SEPOY     71 

it  when  these  fellows  returned,  two  on  horseback. 
The  first  I  wounded,  and  dropped  him  from  his  horse. 
The  second  charged  me  with  his  lance.  I  put  it 
aside,  and  caught  him  an  awful  gash  on  the  head  and 
face.  I  thought  I  had  killed  him.  Apparently 
he  must  have  clung  to  his  horse,  for  he  disappeared. 
The  wounded  man  then  came  up,  but  got  his  skull 
split.  Then  came  on  the  third  man — a  young,  active 
fellow. 

"  I  found  myself  getting  very  weak  from  want  of 
breath,  the  fall  from  my  horse  having  pumped  me 
considerably,  and  my  cloak,  somehow  or  other,  had 
got  tightly  fixed  round  my  throat,  and  was  actually 
choking  me.  I  went,  however,  at  the  fellow  and  cut 
him  on  the  shoulder,  but  some  '  kupra '  (cloth)  on  it 
apparently  turned  the  blow.  He  managed  to  seize 
the  hilt  of  my  sword  and  twisted  it  out  of  my  hand, 
and  then  we  had  a  hand-to-hand  fight,  I  punching 
his  head  with  my  fists,  and  he  trying  to  cut  me,  but 
I  was  too  close  to  him." 

At  this  critical  moment  Hills  slipped  on  the  wet 
ground  and  fell.  He  lay  at  the  sowar's  mercy,  and 
nothing  could  have  saved  him  from  death  had  not 
Major  Tombs  come  within  sight  of  the  scene.  The 
major  was  some  thirty  yards  away,  and  had  only  his 
revolver  and  sword  with  him.  There  was  no  time  to 
be  lost,  so  resting  the  former  weapon  on  his  arm  he 
took  a  quick  steady  aim  and  fired.  The  shot  caught 
the  sepoy  in  the  breast,  and  as  his  uplifted  arm  fell 
limply  to  his  side  he  tumbled  dead  to  the  ground. 

Thanking  Heaven  that  his  aim  had  been  true,  Major 
Tombs  hastened  to  assist  Hills  to  his  feet  and  help 
him  back  to  camp.  But  as  they  stood  together  a 
rebel  sowar  rode  by  with  the  lieutenant's  pistol  in  his 


72  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

hand.  In  a  moment  Hills,  who  had  regained  his 
sword,  dashed  after  the  man,  who  proved  no  mean 
adversary. 

They  went  at  it  cut  and  slash  for  some  time ;  then 
a  smashing  blow  from  the  sowar's  tulwar  broke  down 
the  lieutenant's  guard  and  cut  him  on  the  head. 
Tombs  now  received  the  sepoy's  attack,  but  the 
major  was  among  the  best  swordsmen  in  the  army, 
and  closing  with  his  opponent  he  speedily  ran  him 
through. 

Both  the  officers  had  had  their  fill  of  fighting  for  the 
day,  and  fortunately,  perhaps,  for  them,  no  more  rebels 
appeared  to  molest  them  on  their  return  to  the  camp. 
The  lieutenant,  I  may  note  in  passing,  is  now  the 
well-known  Lieut.-General  Sir  J.  Hills-Johnes,  G.C.B. ; 
his  fellow-hero  of  the  fight  died  some  years  ago,  a 
Major-General  and  a  K.C.B. 

Another  veteran  of  the  Indian  Mutiny  still  alive, 
who  also  won  his  V.C.  at  Delhi,  is  Colonel  Thomas 
Cadell.  A  lieutenant  in  the  Bengal  European 
Fusiliers  at  the  time,  Cadell  figured  in  a  hot  affray 
between  a  picket  and  an  overwhelmingly  large  body 
of  rebels.  In  the  face  of  a  very  severe  fire  he  gallantly 
went  to  the  aid  of  a  wounded  bugler  of  his  own  regi- 
ment and  brought  him  safely  in.  On  the  same  day, 
hearing  that  another  wounded  man  had  been  left 
behind,  he  made  a  dash  into  the  open,  accompanied 
by  three  men  of  his  regiment,  and  succeeded  in  making 
a  second  rescue. 

The  heroes  of  Delhi  are  so  many  that  it  is  difii- 
cult  to  choose  among  them.  Place  must  be  found, 
however,  for  brief  mention  of  the  dashing  exploit  of 
Colour-Sergeant  Stephen  Garvin  of  the  60  th  Eifles. 
The  Eifles,  by  the  way,  now  the  King's  Eoyal  Eifle 


WITH  SABRE  AND  GUN  AGAINST  SEPOY    73 

Corps,  have  the  goodly  number  of  thirteen  V.C.'s  to 
their  credit. 

In  June  1857  the  British  army  on  the  Eidge  was 
greatly  harassed  by  rebel  sharpshooters  who  took  up 
their  position  in  a  building  known  as  the  "  Sammy 
House."  It  was  essential  that  this  hornet's  nest 
should  be  destroyed,  and  volunteers  were  called  for. 
For  this  service  Colour-Sergeant  Garvin  promptly 
stepped  forward  and,  with  a  small  party  of  daring 
spirits,  set  out  on  what  looked  to  most  like  a  forlorn 
hope. 

What  the  rebels  thought  of  this  impudent  attempt 
to  oust  them  from  their  stronghold  we  cannot  tell, 
for  but  one  or  two  of  them  escaped  to  the  city  with 
their  lives.  Such  an  onslaught  as  they  received  at 
the  "  Sammy  House,"  when  Garvin  and  his  valiant 
dozen  rushed  the  place,  quite  surpassed  anything  in 
their  experience.  The  colour-sergeant  is  described 
as  hewing  and  hacking  like  a  paladin  of  romance,  and 
for  his  bravery  and  the  example  he  set  to  his 
followers  he  well  deserved  the  Cross  that  later 
adorned  his  breast. 

At  Bulandshahr,  a  little  to  the  south  of  Delhi, 
in  September  of  the  same  year,  there  was  a  gallant 
action  fought  by  a  body  of  the  Bengal  Horse  Artillery, 
which  resulted  in  no  fewer  than  seven  V.C.'s  being 
awarded;  but  there  is,  I  think,  no  more  heroic  act 
recorded  in  the  annals  of  this  famous  corps  than  that 
of  brave  Gunner  Connolly  at  Jhelum,*  two  months 
previously. 

While  working  his  gun  early  in  the  action  he 
was  wounded  in  the  left  thigh,  but  he  said  nothing 
about  his  wound,  mounting  his  horse  in  the  team 
when  the  battery  limbered  up   to  another  position. 


74  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

After  some  hours'  hot  work  at  this  new  post,  Connolly 
was  again  hit,  and  so  badly  that  his  superior  officer 
ordered  him  to  the  rear. 

"  I  gave  instructions  for  his  removal  out  of  action," 
says  Lieutenant  Cookes  in  his  report,  "  but  this  brave 
man,  hearing  the  order,  staggered  to  his  feet  and 
said,  '  No,  sir,  I'll  not  go  there  whilst  I  can  work 
here,'  and  shortly  afterwards  he  again  resumed  his 
post  as  a  spongeman." 

Throughout  the  fighting  that  day  Connolly  stuck  to 
his  gun,  though  his  wounds  caused  him  great  suffering 
and  loss  of  blood,  and  it  was  not  until  a  third  bullet 
had  ploughed  its  way  through  his  leg  that  he  gave 
up.  Then  he  was  carried  from  the  field  unconscious. 
That  was  the  stuff  that  our  gunners  in  India  were 
made  of,  and  we  may  give  Connolly  and  his  fellows 
our  unstinted  admiration.  For  sheer  pluck  and  devo- 
tion to  duty  they  had  no  peers. 

A  highly  distinguished  artilleryman,  who  won  his 
Cross  in  a  different  way,  was  a  young  lieutenant 
named  Frederick  Sleigh  Koberts,  now  known  to  fame 
as  Field-Marshal  Earl  Koberts,  K.G.  The  scene  of 
his  valour  was  Khudaganj,  near  Fatehgarh,  in  the 
Agra  district,  and  the  date  the  2nd  of  January  1858. 

Some  five  thousand  rebels  under  the  Nawab  of 
Farukhabad  being  in  force  in  the  neighbourhood,  Sir 
Colin  Campbell  pushed  on  with  his  troops  to  disperse 
the  enemy.  Lieutenant  Koberts  was  attached  to  Sir 
Hope  Grant's  staff,  and  with  his  leader  came  into 
contact  with  the  rebels  at  the  village  of  Khudaganj. 
Here  a  sharp  engagement  took  place,  which  resulted 
in  the  Nawab's  army  being  completely  routed. 

At  the  end  of  the  fight,  while  the  mounted  men 
were  following  up  the  fugitives,  the  young  lieutenant 


WITH  SABRE  AND  GUN  AGAINST  SEPOY    75 

saw  a  sowar  of  the  Punjab  Cavalry  (a  loyal  native 
regiment)  in  danger  of  being  worsted  by  a  sepoy  armed 
with  fixed  bayonet.  Wheeling  his  horse  in  their 
direction,  he  quickly  thrust  himself  between  the  two 
and,  with  a  terrific  sweep  of  his  sword  across  the 
other's  face,  laid  the  sepoy  low.  A  minute  or  two 
later  he  caught  sight  of  a  couple  of  rebels  making  off 
with  a  standard.  Eoberts  determined  that  this  should 
be  captured,  so  setting  spurs  to  his  horse  he  galloped 
after  them. 

He  overtook  the  pair  just  as  they  were  about  to 
seek  refuge  in  a  village  close  by,  and  engaged  them 
both  at  once.  The  one  who  clutched  the  standard 
he  cut  down,  wrenching  the  trophy  out  of  the  other's 
hands,  but  the  second  sepoy,  ere  he  could  turn,  placed 
his  musket  close  to  the  young  officer's  body  and  pulled 
the  trigger.  Fortunately  for  him,  the  musket  missed 
fire  (it  was  in  the  days  of  the  old  percussion  caps), 
whereupon  the  sepoy  made  off,  leaving  Eoberts  to 
return  in  triumph. 

In  other  engagements  like  those  at  Bulandshahr  and 
Khudaganj  many  young  cavalry  officers  who  came  to 
high  honour  in  later  years  distinguished  themselves  by 
personal  bravery.  Prominent  among  these  were 
Captain  Dighton  Probyn  and  Lieutenant  John  Watson, 
both  of  the  Punjab  Cavalry.  Their  exploits  are  well 
worth  narrating. 

At  the  battle  of  Agra  Probyn  at  the  head  of  his 
squadron  charged  a  body  of  rebel  infantry,  and  in  the 
mel^e  became  separated  from  his  men.  Beset  as  he 
was  by  a  crowd  of  sepoys,  he  cut  his  way  through  them 
and  engaged  in  a  series  of  single  combats  of  an  Homeric 
kind.  In  one  instance  he  rode  down  upon  a  cluster 
of  sepoys,  singled  out  the  standard-bearer,  killed  him 


76  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

on  the  spot,  and  dashed  off  again  with  the  colours. 
His  gallantry  on  this  and  other  occasions  was,  as  Sir 
Hope  Grant  said  in  his  despatch,  so  marked  that  he 
was  promptly  awarded  the  V.C. 

Lieutenant  Watson  had  a  similar  heroic  encounter 
with  a  rebel  on  November  14th,  1857,  when  just 
outside  Lucknow  he  and  his  troop  of  Punjabis  came 
into  contact  with  a  force  of  rebel  cavalry  which  far 
outnumbered  them. 

As  they  approached  the  Eessaldar  in  command  of 
the  rebels  rode  out  in  advance  of  his  men  with  half 
a  dozen  followers.  He  is  described  as  having  been  "  a 
fine  specimen  of  the  Hindustani  Mussulman,"  a  stalwart, 
black-bearded,  fierce-looking  man.  Here  was  a  foeman 
worthy  of  one's  steel.  With  all  the  daring  that  had 
already  made  him  beloved  by  his  sowars  and  feared  by 
the  enemy,  Watson  accepted  the  challenge  thus  offered, 
and  rode  out  to  give  the  other  combat. 

He  had  got  within  a  yard  or  so  of  his  opponent 
when  the  Eessaldar  fired  his  pistol  point  blank  at  him, 
but  luckily  the  shot  failed  to  take  effect.  It  can  only 
be  supposed  that  the  bullet  had  fallen  out  in  the 
process  of  loading,  for  the  two  were  too  close  together 
for  the  rebel  leader  to  have  missed  his  mark.  Without 
hesitating,  the  lieutenant  charged  and  dismounted  the 
other,  who  drew  his  tulwar  and  called  his  followers  to 
his  aid. 

Watson  now  found  himself  engaged  with  seven 
opponents,  and  against  their  onslaught  he  had  to 
defend  himself  like  a  lion.  It  is  not  recorded  that  he 
slew  the  Eessaldar,  though  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  he 
did  so,  but  he  succeeded  in  keeping  them  all  at  bay 
until  his  own  sowars  came  to  the  rescue  with  some  of 
Probyn's  Horse  who  had  witnessed  the  combat.     And 


WITH  SABRE  AND  GUN  AGAINST  SEPOY    77 

when  the  rebels  were  put  to  flight  the  brave  lieutenant's 
wounds  bore  evidence  of  the  fierce  nature  of  the  combat. 
A  hideous  slash  on  the  head,  a  cut  on  the  left  arm, 
another  on  the  right  arm  that  disabled  that  limb  for 
some  time  afterwards,  and  a  sabre  cut  on  the  leg  which 
came  near  to  permanently  laming  him,  were  the  chief 
hurts  he  had  received,  while  a  bullet  hole  in  his  coat 
showed  how  nearly  a.  shot  had  found  him. 

There  were  many  tight  corners  that  the  young 
cavalry  leader  found  himself  in  before  the  Mutiny 
came  to  an  end,  and  despatches  recorded  his  name 
more  than  once  for  distinguished  services,  but  if  you 
were  to  ask  General  Sir  John  Watson  (he  is  a  G.C.B. 
now,  like  his  brother-officer.  Sir  Dighton  Probyn) 
to-day,  I  doubt  if  he  could  remember  another  fight 
that  was  so  desperate  as  that  hand-to-hand  combat 
with  the  mighty  Kessaldar. 

And  if  it  should  ever  come  to  fade  from  his  memory 
he  has  only  to  look  at  a  little  bronze  Maltese  cross  which 
hangs  among  his  other  medals  on  his  breast,  to  remind 
himself  of  a  time  when  it  was  touch-and-go  with 
death. 


CHAPTEE  X. 

INDIA. THE  BLOWING  UP  OF  THE  CASHMERE  GATE. 

THE  final  assault  of  Delhi,  the  leap  of  a  little  army 
of  five  thousand  British  and  native  soldiers  upon 
a  strongly  fortified  city  held  by  fifty  thousand  rebels, 
forms  one  of  the  most  exciting  chapters  in  the  history 
of  the  Indian  Mutiny,  and  the  blowing  up  of  the 
Cashmere  Gate  one  of  its  most  heroic  incidents.  Once 
more  did  the  gallant  "  sappers  and  miners,'^  whom  we 
last  saw  doing  noble  work  in  the  trenches  at  Sebastopol, 
here  show  themselves  ready  to  face  any  peril  at  duty's 
call. 

The  decision  to  make  the  attack  was  come  to  at 
that  historic  council  on  September  6th,  1857,  to  which 
Nicholson  went  fully  prepared  to  propose  that  General 
Wilson  should  be  superseded  did-  he  hesitate  longer. 
On  the  following  day  the  engineers  under  Baird-Smith 
and  his  able  lieutenants  set  to  work  to  construct  the 
trenching  batteries,  and  by  the  13  th  enough  had  been 
done  to  warrant  the  assault. 

We  have  a  very  vivid   picture    drawn  for  us  by 

several  writers  of  how,  on  the  night  of  the  13  th,  four 

Engineer  subalterns  stole    out    of    the  camp  on  the 

Kidge  and  crept  cautiously  up  to  the  walls  of    the 

enemy's  bastions  to  see  what  condition  they  were  in. 

Greathed,  Home,  Medley,  and  Lang  were  the  names 

78 


BLOWING  UP  THE  CASHMERE  GATE      79 

of  the  four ;  one  of  them,  Lieutenant  Home,  was  to 
earn  undying  fame  the  next  day  at  the  Cashmere 
Gate. 

Armed  with  swords  and  revolvers,  the  party — 
divided  into  two  sections — slipped  into  the  great 
ditch,  sixteen  feet  deep,  and  made  for  the  top  of  the 
breach.  But  quiet  as  they  were,  the  sepoy  sentries 
on  the  wall  above  had  heard  them.  Men  were  heard 
running  from  point  to  point.  "  They  conversed  in  a 
low  tone,"  writes  Medley,  who  was  with  Lang  under 
the  Cashmere  Bastion,  "  and  presently  we  heard  the 
ring  of  their  steel  ramrods  as  they  loaded." 

Huddled  into  the  darkest  corner  of  the  ditch,  the 
two  officers  waited  anxiously  for  the  sepoys  to  go 
away,  when  another  attempt  might  be  made;  but 
the  alarmed  sentries  held  their  ground.  The  engineers, 
however,  had  seen  that  the  breach  was  a  good  one, 
"  the  slope  being  easy  of  ascent  and  no  guns  on  the 
flank,"  so  the  four  of  them  jumped  up  and  made 
a  bolt  for  home.  Directly  they  were  discovered  a 
volley  rattled  out  from  behind  them,  and  the  whizzing 
of  balls  about  their  ears  quickened  their  steps  over  the 
rough  ground.     Luckily  not  one  was  hit. 

There  was  one  other  man  engaged  in  reconnoitring 
work  that  same  night  of  whom  little  mention  is  made 
in  accounts  of  the  siege.  This  was  Bugler  William 
Sutton,  of  the  60  th  Kifles,  a  very  brave  fellow,  as 
had  been  proved  some  weeks  previously  during  a 
sortie  from  Delhi.  On  this  occasion  he  dashed  out 
from  cover  and  threw  himself  upon  the  sepoy  bugler 
who  was  about  to  sound  the  "  advance  "  for  the  rebels. 
The  call  never  rang  out,  for  Bugler  Sutton's  aim  was 
quick  and  true,  and  the  rebels,  in  some  disorder,  were 
driven  back. 


8o  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

Volunteering  for  the  dangerous  service  on  which 
the  four  engineers  above-named  had  undertaken, 
Sutton  ventured  forth  alone  to  spy  out  the  breach 
at  which  his  regiment  was  to  be  hurled  next  morning, 
and  succeeded  in  obtaining  some  very  valuable  in- 
formation for  his  superiors.  The  60  th  Eifles  gained 
no  fewer  than  eight  Victoria  Crosses  during  the 
Mutiny,  and  one  of  them  fell  to  Bugler  Sutton,  who 
was  elected  unanimously  for  the  honour  by  his 
comrades. 

But  it  is  of  the  Cashmere  Gate  and  what  was  done 
there  that  this  chapter  is  mainly  to  tell.  According  to 
the  plans  of  the  council,  four  columns  were  to  make 
the  attack  simultaneously  at  four  different  points 
in  the  walls.  The  one  under  Nicholson  was  to  carry 
the  breach  near  the  Cashmere  Bastion,  while  another 
column,  under  Colonel  Campbell,  was  to  blow  up  the 
Cashmere  Gate  and  force  its  entrance  through  into 
the  city.  The  duty  of  performing  the  first  part  of 
this  operation  fell  to  Lieutenants  Home  and  Salkeld 
of  the  Engineers. 

There  was  a  little  delay  on  the  morning  of  the 
assault,  for  it  was  found  that  the  sepoys  had  been 
hard  at  it  in  the  night  blocking  up  the  holes  in 
the  breaches  with  sandbags,  and  otherwise  repairing 
the  damage  done  by  our  batteries.  But  at  last  every- 
thing was  in  readiness.  The  signal  to  advance  was 
given,  and  the  columns  moved  eagerly  forward. 

At  the  head  of  the  third  column  (Campbell's), 
well  in  front  of  the  rest,  ran  Home,  Salkeld,  two 
sergeants,  also  of  the  Bengal  Engineers, — let  their 
names  be  given.  Smith  and  Carmichael, — Corporal 
Burgess,  and  Bugler  Hawthorne  of  the  5  2nd  Eegiment, 
together  with  Havildar  Pelluck  Singh  and  eight  sappers. 


BLOWING  UP  THE  CASHMERE  GATE      8i 

Salkeld  had  a  slow  match  in  his  hand  (not  a  port-fire, 
as  is  often  stated) ;  the  sergeants  and  the  other  men 
each  carried  a  25  lb.  bag  of  powder.  Behind,  to 
cover  them,  followed  close  a  small  firing  party. 

It  is  not  difficult  to  conjure  up  the  scene  before 
our  eyes.  As  the  little  company  nears  the  Gate  it 
sees  that  the  bridge  which  formerly  spanned  the 
ditch  has  been  broken  down.  Only  a  single  beam 
stretches  across.  Nothing  daunted,  Lieutenant  Home 
leads  the  way,  stepping  lightly  over  the  shaking  beam 
and  dropping  his  powder  bag  at  the  foot  of  the  Gate 
ere  he  leaps  down  into  the  ditch. 

Peering  through  the  wicket,  the  sepoys  stare  in 
sheer  astonishment  at  this  handful  of  mad  Englishmen 
charging  at  them,  and  four  or  five  of  the  party  have 
got  safely  across,  each  depositing  his  precious  bag 
in  its  place,  ere  the  rebel  muskets  speak  out.  Then 
the  slender  wooden  beam  becomes  indeed  a  bridge  of 
death.  A  sheet  of  flame  flash'3s  from  the  wicket  of 
the  Gate,  and  one  man  after  another  falls,  wounded 
or  killed  outright.  Enough  bags,  however,  have  been 
flung  down  into  position,  and  Home  calls  upon  Salkeld 
to  finish  the  job. 

With  Sergeants  Smith  and  Carmichael,  and  the 
corporal  by  his  side,  Salkeld,  who  has  been  in  waiting, 
dashes  for  the  frail  bridge.  He  gains  it  and  is  over, 
as  a  volley  rattles  out  from  the  Gate,  but  before  he 
can  light  the  fuse  he  falls,  shot  through  leg  and 
arm. 

"  Here  you  are.  Burgess ! "  he  cries,  holding  out  the 
slow  match.     "  Quick,  man  ! " 

The  corporal  takes  the  slow  match  in  turn  and  bends 
low  over  the  powder,  only  to  fall  back  the  next  instant 
mortally  wounded.  We  have  it  on  Lord  Koberts' 
6 


82  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

authority  that  Burgess  actually  succeeded  in  lighting 
the  fuse,  but  opinions  are  at  variance  on  this  point. 
It  seems  probable,  however,  that  he  did  perform 
his  task,  for  when  Sergeant  Smith,  seizing  the  slow 
match  in  his  turn,  now  goes  forward  to  ignite  the 
powder,  he  sees  that  the  fuse  is  fizzling. 

A  leap  into  the  ditch,  where  he  lands  beside  Home 
and  Bugler  Hawthorne,  saves  him  just  in  time.  A 
moment  later  and  there  is  a  loud  explosion,  a  cloud 
of  smoke,  and  stones,  pieces  of  wood,  and  other  debris 
raining  down  all  around.  In  the  noise  of  the  firing 
and  the  confusion  that  prevails,  the  bugler  is  mean- 
while sounding  the  "advance,"  not  once  but  thrice, 
though  it  is  extremely  doubtful  if  it  is  heard 
at  all. 

Colonel  Campbell  has  seen  the  explosion,  however, 
and  the  storming  party,  straining  like  hounds  in  leash, 
are  no  more  to  be  held  back.  With  a  wild  cheer 
they  spring  forward,  to  find — not  the  big  Gate  itself 
destroyed,  but  the  little  wicket,  which  was  all  that 
had  been  blown  in.  One  by  one  they  creep  through, 
stepping  over  the  scorched  bodies  of  the  sepoy 
wardens  within,  and  form  up  in  the  open  space  by 
Skinner's  Church,  where  all  are  to  meet. 

But  what  of  the  survivors  of  the  explosion  left 
behind  in  the  ditch  ?  Home  is  alive,  and  bo  are 
Hawthorne,  Smith,  Burgess,  and  Salkeld,  though  the 
two  last  are  grievously  wounded.  Carmichael  and 
several  others  lie  still  for  ever  on  the  damp 
ground. 

With  some  assistance,  brave  John  Smith  and  Bugler 
Hawthorne  get  Lieutenant  Salkeld  into  the  doctor's 
hands,  though  it  is  evident  nothing  can  be  done  for 
him.     Burgess,  too,  has  a  mortal  wound,  and  he  is 


BLOWING  UP  THE  CASHMERE  GATE      83 

dead  before  friendly  hands  have  carried  him  a  score 
of  yards.  Of  the  wounded  only  the  havildar,  who 
had  fallen  with  Carmichael  before  the  deadly  rain 
of  bullets,  has  any  hope  of  recovery. 

There  is  not  much  more  to  be  said.  Lieutenant 
Philip  Salkeld  died  a  few  days  later,  but  not  before 
he  knew  that  the  Cross  for  Valour  had  been  conferred 
upon  him.  Sergeant  Smith  and  the  bugler  were  the 
only  two  destined  to  wear  the  coveted  decoration  in 
memory  of  that  day's  desperate  deed. 

Lieutenant  Duncan  Home  figures  in  the  list  of 
V.C.  heroes  with  his  brother -lieutenant  by  reason 
of  the  Cross  having  been  provisionally  bestowed 
upon  him  by  General  Wilson.  His  end,  which  came 
scarcely  three  weeks  later,  was  a  dramatic  one. 

In  the  attack  on  Fort  Malagarh  it  was  expedient  to 
lay  a  mine  and  make  a  breach  in  the  wall.  Home 
superintended  this  operation,  and  lit  the  slow  match 
himself.  The  fuse  appearing  to  have  gone  out,  he 
went  forward  to  examine  it  and  relight  it  if  necessary, 
but  at  the  moment  he  stooped  the  light  reached  the 
powder  and  the  mine  blew  up. 


CHAPTEK   XI. 

INDIA. THE    STOEY    OF    KOLAPOEE    KERR. 

THE  scene  of  the  incident  which  I  am  about  to 
narrate  was  Kolapore  (or  Kolhapur,  as  the 
modern  spelling  has  it),  an  important  town  in  the 
Bombay  Presidency.  Even  before  the  Mutiny  broke 
out  there  had  been  no  little  disaffection  among  the 
people  in  that  quarter  of  India,  and  when  the  news 
of  the  revolt  at  Meerut  and  Delhi  reached  the 
Presidency  grave  fears  were  entertained  lest  the 
native  troops  there  should  join  the  rebels. 

It  was  characteristic  of  most  English  officers  attached 
to  native  regiments  in  those  days  that  they  firmly 
believed  in  the  loyalty  of  their  men.  Only  at  the 
last  moment,  when  the  soldiers  they  had  drilled  and 
taught  broke  into  open  mutiny,  could  they  grasp  the 
truth,  and  then  it  was  often  too  late.  But  in  Bombay 
there  was  one  officer  whose  trust  was  not  belied. 
This  was  Lieutenant  William  Alexander  Kerr,  of  the 
Southern  Mahratta  Irregular  Horse. 

"  I  know  my  men,"  he  would  say,  when  the  question 
of  loyalty  was  raised,  "  and  I  know  they  are  true. 
Ill  answer  for  my  troopers  at  any  time." 

Rather  short  men  were  these  Mahrattas,  but 
sturdy,  stocky  fellows  with  somewhat  flat  features, 
long  jet  black  hair,  and  bronze  faces,  out  of  which 

84 


THE  STORY  OF  KOLAPORE  KERR   85 

small  fiery  black  eyes  gleamed  at  one.  They  were 
excellent  fighters,  as  many  a  hill  fight  had  proved, 
and  there  were  not  a  few  officers  in  India  who  would  as 
soon  have  had  a  company  of  wild  Mahratta  warriors  at 
their  back  as  Sikhs  or  Punjabis,  when  it  came  to  a 
tussle. 

Lieutenant  Kerr  certainly  held  this  opinion.  Long 
service  with  them  had  made  him  acquainted  with 
their  courage  and  faithfulness. 

"  The  Bombay  Infantry  may  rise,  but  not  my 
Mahrattas,"  he  affirmed.  "  There  isn't  a  man  among 
them  who  wouldn't  follow  me  to  the  ends  of  the 
earth ! " 

He  was  stating  this  fact  for  the  hundredth  time  at 
a  memorable  council  that  was  held  in  the  officers' 
mess  at  Satara  on  the  night  of  July  8th,  1857,  when 
the  startling  news  was  flashed  over  the  wires  that 
the  27  th  Bombay  Native  Infantry  had  revolted  at 
Kolapore.  The  message  ran  that  nearly  all  their 
English  officers  had  been  killed,  only  a  few  escaping 
to  find  uncertain  refuge  in  the  Kesidency.  Help 
was  needed  urgently. 

What  was  to  be  done  ?  The  officer  commanding  at 
Satara  faced  his  staff  with  a  grave  face.  Here  was 
confirmation  of  their  worst  fears.  The  looks  that 
met  his  were  full  of  foreboding;  all,  that  is,  save 
Kerr's. 

Eising  to  his  feet,  the  young  lieutenant  turned 
quickly  to  his  superior. 

"  Give  me  leave,  sir,"  he  said,  "  and  I'll  undertake 
with  a  company  of  our  sowars  to  clear  every  mutineer 
out  of  Kolapore." 

It  was  the  chance  he  longed  for,  the  chance  to 
prove  the  loyalty  of  his  troopers. 


86  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

The  colonel  pondered  some  moments,  for  the  little 
force  at  Satara  was  not  over  strong. 

"  I  can  give  you  fifty  men,"  he  said  at  last ;  "  a 
troop  of  fifty,  no  more.  Can  you  manage  with 
that  ? " 

"  I  can  and  I  will,"  answered  Kerr  tersely.  And 
half  an  hour  later  saw  him  spurring  fast  southward 
with  his  Mahrattas  behind  him,  in  all  the  glory  of 
their  gold-braided  green  coats  and  scarlet  turbans. 

Kolapore  lay  seventy-five  miles  due  south,  as  the 
crow  flies,  but  their  way  led  through  unfrequented 
roads  and  jungle  paths,  with  swollen  rivers  and  flooded 
nullahs  to  swim  across,  for  the  rains  had  been  heavy 
of  late  and  the  fords  were  gone.  Swamps  impeded 
their  progress,  clutching  at  the  feet  of  the  wiry  hill 
horses  to  drag  them  down,  but  they  were  clear  at  last, 
and  galloped  breathless  into  Kolapore  in  rather  less 
than  six-and-twenty  hours  from  their  start. 

The  mutineers  of  the  revolted  27  th  Eegiment  had 
entrenched  themselves  in  a  strongly  built  stone  fort 
on  the  outskirts  of  the  town.  The  main  entrance  to 
this  was  a  massive  wooden  door  which  would  need  to 
be  forced  open,  for  inside  there  were  heavy  bolts  and 
bars  to  secure  it.  So  Kerr,  choosing  the  quickest  way, 
borrowed  a  couple  of  antique  cannon  from  the  Rajah 
of  the  place  and  pounded  away  to  break  the  outer 
wall ;  but  the  guns  turned  out  to  be  worthless  and 
had  to  be  abandoned. 

There  now  remained  the  door  to  be  broken  open. 
That  offered  the  best,  indeed  the  only,  means  of  effect- 
ing an  entrance.  Night  was  fast  drawing  nigh,  and 
the  lieutenant  was  determined  to  take  action  at 
once.  It  would  not  do  to  give  the  rebels  breathing 
space. 


THE  STORY  OF  KOLAPORE  KERR    87 

Halting  his  Mahrattas  some  distance  from  the  fort, 
Kerr  picked  seventeen  of  his  most  trusted  men  and 
bade  them  dismount  and  follow  him  to  the  attack. 
For  himself  and  a  trooper  whose  name,  strangely 
enough,  was  Gumpunt  Eao  Deo  Ker,  he  had  obtained 
two  stout  iron  crowbars  with  which  to  force  open 
the  door,  and  at  a  signal  from  him  the  little  party 
dashed  eagerly  forward. 

From  their  loopholes  and  from  the  top  of  the  wall 
the  sepoys  poured  an  irregular  fire  upon  the  besiegers 
below.  But  Kerr  and  Gumpunt  Eao,  working  away 
desperately  with  their  bars,  very  soon  made  a  hole 
in  the  door  near  the  ground.  A  few  more  blows 
enlarged  it  sufficiently  to  allow  one  man  to  crawl 
through  on  his  hands  and  knees. 

That  was  enough  foi  Kerr. 

"  In  we  go,  men,"  he  cried ;  "  after  me  !  Have  your 
swords  ready  ! "  And  the  little  fierce-eyed  men  grinned 
with  delight  as  they  saw  their  leader  wriggle  like  a 
snake  through  the  hole  with  the  faithful  Gumpunt  at 
his  heels.     What  a  fight  there  was  going  to  be  ! 

They  guessed  truly.  The  instant  Kerr  showed 
himself  inside  the  courtyard  he  was  greeted  with  a 
volley  of  musketry,  but  the  sepoys  aimed  too  high, 
and  every  bullet  crashed  harmlessly  into  the  woodwork 
over  his  head.  Springing  to  his  feet,  the  lieutenant 
made  a  rush  at  his  assailants  that  sent  them  flying 
before  him.  And  then,  the  scarlet  turbans  having 
followed  safely  through  the  aperture  one  after  another, 
the  mutineers  were  slowly  driven  back,  leaving  several 
heaps  of  dead  and  wounded  in  their  wake. 

The  fighting  blood  of  the  wild  Mahrattas  was  up 
now.  A  battalion  of  rebels  could  not  have  stayed 
them.     Before    their    fierce  onsla^ught  the  mutineers 


88  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

fled  to  the  refuge  of  a  house  that  covered  the  second 
entrance  to  the  fort,  but  the  building  was  set  on  fire, 
and  off  they  scampered  again  for  dear  life,  though  a 
few  perished  in  the  flames. 

Their  next  retreat  was  behind  a  gateway  which  led 
to  the  inner  portion  of  the  fort.  Here  the  shaken 
remnant  was  joined  by  the  men  of  the  garrison,  who 
had  been  spectators  of  the  affray.  This  reinforcement 
gave  them  renewed  confidence,  and  they  opened  a  fresh 
fire  upon  Kerr  and  his  little  band.  The  Mahrattas 
needed  no  call  from  their  valiant  leader.  Two  or 
three  of  them  bit  the  dust  under  the  hail  of  bullets, 
but  the  rest  leapt  to  the  gate  where  Lieutenant  Kerr 
was  already  at  work  with  his  crowbar.  Again  a  hole 
was  made,  and  again  the  plucky  officer — always  first 
— crept  through  with  his  followers. 

In  the  terrible  hand-to-hand  fight  that  ensued 
within  Kerr  had  the  chain  of  his  helmet  cut  by  a 
bullet,  while  another  ball  struck  his  sword.  A  sepoy, 
too,  thrust  his  musket  almost  into  the  lieutenant's 
face,  the  discharge  blinding  him  for  an  instant,  but 
Kerr  ran  his  sword  through  the  man's  body  ere  he 
could  reload. 

The  thrust  was  a  mighty  one,  and  the  effort  to 
withdraw  his  weapon  was  so  great  that  it  gave  time 
for  a  watching  rebel  to  deal  him  a  stunning  blow  on 
the  head  with  the  butt  end  of  a  musket.  Down 
went  Kerr  like  a  felled  log,  and  but  for  Gumpunt 
Kao  he  would  have  been  shot  where  he  lay.  Just  in 
the  nick  of  time  the  Mahratta  sprang  between  them 
and  sent  the  sepoy  to  his  last  account. 

Kerr's  storming  party  was  sadly  reduced  in 
numbers  by  this  time,  and  of  those  who  had  survived 
not  one  had  escaped  being  wounded.     But  as  soon 


THE  STORY  OF  KOLAPORE  KERR        89 

as  their  leader  had  come  to  his  senses,  they  went 
forward  once  more,  cutting  down  the  mutineers  with 
their  keen-edged  curved  swords,  and  striking  terror 
into  the  hearts  of  those  who  yet  again  fled  before 
them. 

In  their  extremity  the  rebels  made  for  an  empty 
disused  temple,  hastily  barricading  its  door  with 
stones  and  anything  that  would  help  to  keep  those 
dreaded  greencoats  at  a  safe  distance.  They  still 
had  a  good  supply  of  cartridges  left,  and  with  these 
did  such  execution  that  several  more  of  the  Mahratta 
warriors  were  laid  low. 

But  they  had  to  reckon  with  a  man  who  was  bent 
on  teaching  them  such  a  lesson  as  they  and  every 
mutineer  in  the  Presidency  should  never  forget. 
Seven  sowars  alone  were  left  to  Kerr  for  his  last 
attack,  seven  out  of  the  chosen  seventeen  who  had 
followed  him  through  that  first  hole  in  the  outer 
door.  Yet  he  did  not  wait  to  be  reinforced.  With 
this  mere  handful  of  men  he  flung  himself  on  the 
temple  door,  which  at  once  rang  under  the  quick 
blows  of  his  iron  bar. 

The  entrance  to  the  building,  however,  was  made 
of  stouter  material  than  the  other  doors  had  been. 
Neither  he  nor  Gumpunt  Rao  could  burst  through 
the  wood.  The  lieutenant  glanced  round  for  another 
weapon,  and  now  to  his  delight  saw  a  heap  of  hay 
lying  by  a  side  wall.  Here  was  the  very  thing  he 
wanted. 

"  Quick,  Gumpunt ! "  he  shouted.  "  Bring  that  hay 
over  here.  We'll  burn  the  door  down  an'  finish 
'em ! " 

And  finish  them  they  did.  As  the  flames  crackled 
up  and  the  door  fell  in,  Kerr,  Gumpunt  Rao,  and  the 


90  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

other  six  leapt  inside.  A  grim-looking  band  they 
must  have  appeared,  with  their  smoke  -  blackened 
faces,  their  slashed  and  bloodstained  tunics,  and 
doubly  so  to  the  panic-stricken  mutineers  who 
cowered  in  the  dark  corners  of  the  temple. 

"  No  quarter ! "  the  wild  Mahrattas  had  begged  of 
their  "  sahib,"  while  they  waited  for  the  fire  to  do  its 
work.  "  Death  to  every  rat  caught  in  the  hole ! " 
But  Kerr  would  not  grant  them  their  wish.  All  who 
would  yield  were  to  be  taken  prisoners;  he  had  a 
different  fate  in  store  for  them. 

So  when  the  eight  emerged  again  from  the  now 
silent  building,  more  bloodstained  than  ever,  for  a 
few  of  the  rats  at  bay  had  shown  their  teeth,  they 
brought  with  them  a  bare  dozen  of  trembling  sepoys, 
all  that  remained  of  the  mutinous  garrison  of  Kola- 
pore  Fort.  And  with  these  in  their  midst  the  little 
swarthy  hill-men  in  the  green  coats  some  hours  later 
rode  triumphantly  back  to  Satara,  with  Kerr  at  their 
head,  to  tell  of  that  grim  night's  work. 

The  sparks  of  mutiny  that  might  so  easily  have 
burst  into  a  flame  in  Bombay  may  be  said  to  have 
been  stamped  out  by  Lieutenant  Kerr's  prompt  and 
vigorous  action.  Subsequent  attempts  were  made  to 
create  a  rising,  but  they  were  fitful  and  half-hearted. 
The  lesson  of  Kolapore  had  been  a  stern  one. 

For  his  dashing  exploit  Lieutenant  Kerr  received 
the  V.C,  a  decoration  which,  I  am  glad  to  say,  he  is 
still  alive  to  wear.  The  brave  Mahratta,  Gumpunt 
Eao  Deo  Ker,  though  he  deserved  to  share  the  same 
honour,  was  rewarded  in  a  different  fashion. 

That  is  the  story  of  Kolapore  Kerr.  It  is,  to  my 
mind,  a  theme  every  whit  as  inspiring  to  a  poet's  pen 
as  the  stand  of  the  Guides  at  Cabul  or  Gillespie's  ride 


THE  STORY  OF  KOLAPORE  KERR        91 

to  "false  Vellore."  Perhaps  some  day  a  poet  will 
arise  who  will  commemorate  for  us  in  stirring  verse 
Kerr's  gallant  deed,  and  tell  how  once  and  for  all 
the  Southern  Mahratta  Irregular  Horse  proved  their 
loyalty  to  the  British  Kaj. 


CHAPTEK   XII. 

INDIA. THE   DEFENCE    OF    THE   DHOOLIES. 

IN  the  preceding  chapters  I  have  told  of  many 
heroes  who  have  won  imperishable  glory  at  the 
cannon's  mouth,  "i'  the  imminent  deadly  breach"; 
at  the  head  of  charging  squadrons ;  or  in  Homeric 
personal  combat.  Valiant  men  were  they  all,  and 
worthy  of  high  admiration ;  but  I  come  now  to  speak 
of  other  brave  men,  whose  deeds  though  less  ostenta- 
tious should  appeal  to  our  imagination  no  less  forcibly 
— the  devoted  surgeons  of  our  Army. 

In  the  bead-roll  of  Britain's  heroes  there  are  no  more 
honoured  names  than  theirs,  and  very  high  up  among 
them  I  would  place  those  of  Surgeons  Jee,  McMaster, 
Home,  and  Bradshaw.  Their  work  was  not  to  lead 
storming  parties  or  join  in  the  press  of  battle,  but 
to  follow  in  the  wake  of  the  fight,  to  relieve  the 
sufferings  of  the  wounded,  to  bind  up  shattered  limbs 
and  bandage  the  ghastly  hurts  that  round-shot,  sabre, 
and  musket  had  inflicted  in  the  swirl  of  evil  human 
passions  thus  let  loose. 

It  was  work  that  demanded  devotion  and  courage 
of  the  highest  order,  for  it  was  carried  on  mostly 
under  fire,  when  bullets  rained  pitilessly  around,  and 
the  very  hand  that  one  moment  eased  a  sufferer's 
pain  might  the  next  itself  be  stilled  in  death.     Let 


THE  DEFENCE  OF  THE  DHOOLIES        93 

the  tale  of  what  was  done  in  Lucknow  streets  on  that 
historic  September  day  in  1857  when  Havelock  and 
Outram  fought  their  way  into  the  besieged  city,  testify 
to  the  pluck  and  noble  self-sacrifice  of  which  our 
Army  doctors  are  capable  at  duty's  call. 

Surgeon  Joseph  Jee  was  attached  to  the  78  th 
Highlanders,  the  old  "  Koss-shire  Buffs,"  now  known 
(with  the  72  nd  Foot)  as  the  Seaforth  Highlanders.  He 
had  followed  his  regiment  to  Cawnpore  to  avenge  Nana 
Sahib's  ghastly  massacre,  and  thence  to  Lucknow, 
which,  under  the  gallant  Henry  Lawrence,  was  holding 
out  until  relief  came. 

From  the  Alumbagh,  the  pleasure-house  that  was 
built  by  a  Begum  of  the  ex-King  of  Oudh  about  two 
miles  out  of  the  city,  and  was  now  garrisoned  by  some 
12,000  sepoys,  the  relieving  force,  as  is  well  known, 
fought  their  way  steadily  across  the  Charbagh  Bridge, 
and  so  on  to  the  Chutter  Munzil  Palace  and  the 
Bailey  Guard  Gate,  and  eventually  gained  the  Eesi- 
dency  itself. 

It  was  on  the  morning  of  the  25  th  of  September 
that  Lucknow  was  actually  reached.  At  the  Charbagh 
Palace,  near  the  bridge,  the  78th  Highlanders  were 
left  to  hold  that  position,  while  the  main  body  threaded 
its  way  through  the  narrow,  tortuous  lanes  leading  to 
the  Eesidency,  and  here  Surgeon  Jee  and  Assistant- 
Surgeon  McMaster  quickly  found  work  for  their 
hands.  All  the  streets  and  houses  in  the  vicinity 
were  strongly  occupied  by  mutineers.  Desperate 
charges  had  to  be  made  to  carry  the  rebel  guns  which 
poured  a  devastating  fire  upon  our  troops,  and  though 
the  cannon  were  captured  and  toppled  over  into  the 
canal,  the  casualties  were  exceedingly  heavy. 

While  the  wounded  remained  to  receive  attention 


94  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

from  the  busy  doctors,  the  regiment,  following  up  its 
last  attack,  disappeared  round  the  bend  of  the  canal, 
and  Jee  and  his  assistants  found  themselves  suddenly 
exposed  to  the  enemy's  fire.  Having  obtained  some 
men  to  act  as  bearers,  the  surgeon  got  his  patients 
lifted  up  and  carried  to  where  a  few  dhoolies  were. 
These  were  filled  in  no  time,  one  of  them  by  Captain 
Havelock,  son  of  the  General,  who  was  badly  hit  in 
the  arm;  the  rest  of  the  wounded  were  placed  in 
carts  drawn  by  bullocks.  The  latter,  however,  met 
with  a  heartrending  fate  ere  they  had  gone  far ; 
for  the  sick  train  coming  to  a  standstill  in  the 
road  where  it  was  blocked,  all  the  occupants  of  the 
carts  were  massacred  by  sepoys  before  their  comrades' 
eyes. 

The  regiment  was  caught  up  at  last,  and  a  company 
under  Captain  Halliburton  detailed  to  guard  the 
dhoolies.  But  misfortune  dogged  the  little  party's 
steps.  They  lost  their  way  in  the  city,  were  led  by 
a  blundering  guide  right  into  an  enemy's  battery, 
which  shelled  them  mercilessly,  and  wandered  about 
for  hours  continually  under  fire,  until  they  took  refuge 
in  the  Moti  -  Mahal  (the  Pearl  Palace).  Here  was 
a  square  courtyard  having  sheds  all  round  it  and 
two  gateway  entrances.  As  it  was  already  packed 
with  soldiers,  camp  followers  and  camels,  the  surgeons 
were  hard  put  to  it  to  find  accommodation  for  their 
wounded. 

Of  the  horrors  of  that  night  Surgeon  Jee  has  told 
us  in  his  own  words.  The  firing  was  deafening,  gongs 
were  sounding  the  hours,  while  there  was  a  hubbub  of 
shouting  through  which  the  groans  of  the  wounded 
could  nevertheless  be  heard.  An  alarming  rumour 
came  that  all  the  78th  had  been  killed,  and,  what 


THE  DEFENCE  OF  THE  DHOOLIES       95 

added  to  the  terrors  of  the  situation,  no  one  knew 
how  far  off  the  Kesidency  was.  But  Jee  stuck  to  his 
post,  and  many  a  poor  fellow  lived  through  that 
inferno  to  bless  the  brave,  tender-hearted  doctor  to 
whom  he  owed  his  life. 

At  daylight  some  tea  was  made  (they  had  had 
neither  food  nor  drink  since  leaving  the  Alumbagh 
the  morning  before),  and  then  preparations  were  made 
to  defend  the  place.  Loopholes  had  to  be  pierced 
in  the  walls,  and  the  best  marksmen  stationed  there 
to  pick  off  the  sepoys  who  raked  the  square  from 
house  and  gateway.  Jee  himself  had  many  a  narrow 
escape  as  he  dodged  about  dressing  the  wounds  both 
of  the  artillery  and  his  own  men,  and  he  recounts 
how  Brigadier  Cooper  was  shot  through  a  loophole 
close  to  where  he  was  standing. 

In  this  extremity  Jee  boldly  volunteered  to  attempt 
to  get  his  wounded  into  the  Kesidency  by  taking  them 
along  the  river  bank,  leaving  Captain  Halliburton  to 
hold  the  Moti-Mahal.  ITothing  could  dissuade  him 
from  this  course  once  his  mind  was  made  up,  so  with 
his  dhoolies  he  set  out  to  run  the  gauntlet. 

What  the  little  company  of  dhoolies  passed  through 
ere  it  reached  its  destination  we  do  not  know,  but  we 
can  picture  to  ourselves  that  terrible  journey  through 
the  winding  tangled  streets  in  which  nearly  every 
house  contained  sepoy  riflemen.  There  was,  too,  a 
stream  to  be  crossed,  and  at  this  spot  they  were 
exposed  to  the  fire  of  the  rebel  guns  at  the  Kaiserbagh 
Palace. 

They  reached  the  Eesidency  at  length,  after  much 
going  astray,  and  reached  it  sadly  depleted  in  numbers. 
As  elsewhere  in  Lucknow  that  same  night,  the 
cowardly  sepoys  made  a  special  mark  of  the  dhoolies. 


96  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

shooting  the  defenceless  wounded  in  cold  blood.  On 
their  arrival  General  Havelock  warmly  congratulated 
the  plucky  surgeon  on  his  success  in  getting  through, 
for  he  had  heard  that  Jee  had  been  killed. 

Honour  was  slower  in  coming  to  the  brave  Army 
doctors  than  to  many  others  who  distinguished 
themselves  in  the  Mutiny,  for  it  was  not  until  three 
years  later  that  Jee  was  gazetted  V.C.  But  such 
services  as  his  could  not  be  overlooked,  and  there  was 
universal  satisfaction  when  his  name  was  added  to  the 
EoU  of  Valour.  He  died  some  years  ago,  a  Deputy 
Inspector-General  and  a  C.B. 

On  the  night  of  the  same  day  that  Jee  was  convey- 
ing his  wounded  to  the  Eesidency,  a  somewhat  similar 
scene  was  being  enacted  in  another  quarter  of  Lucknow. 
By  the  Moti  Munzil  Palace  lay  a  number  of  wounded 
officers  and  men  of  the  90  th  and  other  regiments  in 
the  charge  of  Doctors  Home  and  Bradshaw  of  the 
90  th.  Left  behind  by  the  relieving  force  as  it  held 
straight  on  to  its  goal,  the  dhoolies  had  to  rely  for 
protection  on  a  small  escort  of  a  hundred  and  fifty  men. 
By  great  good  fortune  they  escaped  the  notice  of  the 
mutineers  during  the  first  part  of  the  night,  but  ere 
dawn  had  broken  a  fierce  attack  was  made  upon 
them.  Off  they  started,  then,  on  a  slow,  laborious 
journey,  which  was  to  cost  many  valuable  lives  before 
its  end. 

"  To  the  Residency ! "  was  the  cry,  a  young  civilian 
named  Thornhill  having  undertaken  to  guide  them 
thither.  But  between  them  and  Havelock's  house  was 
a  network  of  streets  and  lanes  that  had  to  be  threaded, 
and  these  were  still  overrun  with  sepoys.  It  was  a 
true  via  dolorosa  that  lay  before  them. 


THE  DEFENCE  OF  THE  DHOOLIES        97 

The  order  having  been  given,  the  dhoolies  were 
picked  up  by  very  reluctant  native  bearers,  the  surgeons 
closed  in  round  their  charges,  and  they  started  off, 
while  the  escort  covered  their  progress  as  best  they 
could.  After  a  terrible  hour's  journeying,  with  sepoys 
hanging  on  flank  and  rear,  the  little  company  event- 
ually reached  the  Martini^re  (a  building  erected  by  a 
French  soldier  of  fortune  in  the  eighteenth  century). 
Their  stay  here  was  short,  however,  for  a  well-directed 
cannonade  drove  them  once  more  afieldi  A  flooded 
nullah  was  next  crossed,  and  beyond  this  seemed 
to  lie  safety,  but  a  fatal  blunder  on  the  part  of  their 
guide  led  them,  into  a  veritable  death-trap. 

The  street  into  which  they  filed  appeared  to  be 
deserted.  As  a  matter  of  fact  it  was  full  of  sepoys, 
who  were  concealed  in  the  houses  on  either  side.  This 
was  the  narrow  street  leading  to  the  Bailey  Guard 
Gate,  the  entrance  to  the  Eesidency ;  along  its  three- 
quarters  of  a  mile,  some  hours  previously,  the  78  th 
Highlanders  and  Brasyer's  Sikhs  had  won  their  way 
through  a  perfect  tempest  of  shot.  A  similar  reception 
awaited  the  dhoolies. 

As  the  ill-fated  train  passed  through  and  gained  the 
square  at  the  farther  end,  the  storm  of  musketry  broke 
into  full  blast  over  their  heads.  In  a  moment  the  panic- 
stricken  bearers  dropped  the  dhoolies  and  fled  for  dear 
life,  leaving  the  wounded  men  in  the  middle  of  the 
square  exposed  to  every  sepoy  marksman.  The  fire  of 
close  on  a  thousand  muskets  must  have  been  concen- 
trated on  that  small  enclosure,  but  Surgeon  Home 
managed,  with  nine  men  of  the  escort,  to  get  half  a  dozen 
of  the  wounded  within  the  shelter  of  a  building  before 
which  was  a  covered  archway. 

Surgeon  Bradshaw,  meanwhile,  who  had  been  in  the 
7 


98  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

rear  of  the  train,  had  collected  his  dhoolies  as  soon  as 
the  nature  of  the  trap  was  disclosed,  and  turned  hastily 
back  to  seek  the  turning  that  their  guide  ought  to  have 
taken.  The  luckless  Thornhill  had  been  killed,  having 
been  one  of  the  first  to  be  shot  down.  It  is  satisfactory 
to  add  that  Bradshaw  was  successful  in  bringing  his 
dhoolies  to  safe  quarters  without  further  mishap. 

Would  that  such  had  been  the  case  with  Surgeon 
Home !  He  and  his  party  had  gained  shelter  for  the 
time,  but  none  could  say  how  long  it  would  be  before 
the  horde  of  sepoys  would  storm  it.  The  most  daring 
of  the  mutineers  had  already  ventured  out  into  the 
square  to  kill  those  of  the  wounded  whom  they  could 
reach  and  to  fire  through  the  windows  of  the  house. 

The  heroes  of  what  became  known  afterwards  as 
Dhoolie  Square  were,  besides  Home,  Privates  McManus, 
Ward,  Eyan,  and  Hollowell.  These  gallant  fellows, 
but  for  whom  the  whole  company  must  have  been 
massacred,  formed  part  of  the  military  escort.  Patrick 
McManus,  who  was  an  Irishman  of  the  Northumber- 
land Fusiliers,  was  a  noted  shot.  Taking  up  a  position 
immediately  behind  one  of  the  pillars  of  the  archway, 
he  coolly  fired  shot  after  shot  until  a  number  of  sepoys 
had  fallen  victims  to  his  unerring  aim.  The  rest  of 
the  rebels  retreated  before  his  rifle  and  sought  shelter 
within  the  houses. 

This  pause  afforded  an  opportunity  for  rescuing  those 
of  the  wounded  who  lay  within  reach.  With  his  deadly 
rifle  in  his  hand,  McManus  now  rushed  out,  accompanied 
by  Private  John  Eyan  (a  Madras  European  Fusilier), 
and  carried  in  Captain  Arnold,  who  had  been  shot  in 
both  legs.  A  second  time  they  ventured  out,  and  in  the 
rain  of  bullets  they  drew  upon  themselves  succeeded  in 
dragging  another  poor  fellow  from  the  slender  security 


McMANFS   NOW   EUSHED    OUT,    ACCOMPANIED    BY   PRIVATE   JOHN 
KYAN   .    .    .    AND  CARRIED   IN   CAPTAIN  ARNOLD.— Paog  98. 


THE  DEFENCE  OF  THE  DHOOLIES        99 

of  his  dhoolie  to  more  certain  safety.  But  their  errand 
of  mercy  was  in  vain :  though  neither  of  the  rescuers 
was  hit,  Arnold  and  the  other  wounded  man  (a  private) 
were  struck  again  and  again,  both  dying  soon  after. 

Private  Ward,  a  78  th  Highlander  but  a  Norfolk 
man  by  birth,  had  a  little  previously  saved  the  life  of 
Lieutenant  Havelock.  The  dhoolie  in  which  the  young 
officer  lay  would  have  been  abandoned  had  not  Ward, 
by  force  of  blows,  compelled  the  native  bearers  to  carry 
it  behind  the  pillars  of  the  arch. 

Inside  the  house  that  sheltered  Home  and  the  others 
the  surgeon  was  hard  at  work  attending  to  his  wounded, 
most  of  whom  were  in  worse  case  than  when  they 
started  on  their  journey.  If  he  stopped  in  his  task  it 
was  only  to  snatch  up  a  rifle  and  take  a  shot  at  some 
sepoy  who  was  within  sight.  With  consummate  daring 
the  rebels  braved  McManus  and  crept  up  to  the  window 
of  Home's  room.  One  man,  whom  he  shot  with  his 
revolver,  was  no  more  than  three  yards  away  from  him 
at  the  time. 

So  some  hours  wore  away.  Then  the  sepoys, 
furious  at  their  ineffectual  attempts  to  get  at  their 
prey,  brought  up  a  large  screen  on  wheels,  with  thick 
planks  in  front,  and  with  this  shut  off  what  was 
apparently  the  little  garrison's  only  exit.  It  was  their 
intention  to  fire  the  roof  and  burn  the  Englishmen  in 
their  trap. 

There  was  another  door  at  the  side  of  the  house, 
however,  and  while  the  flames  crackled  and  the  chok- 
ing smoke  filled  the  rooms.  Home  and  all  the  able 
men  with  him  seized  hold  of  the  wounded  and  made 
a  dash  through  this  across  the  square  to  a  small  shed 
that  appeared  to  be  empty.  They  reached  it,  but  only 
half  a  dozen  were  in  a  condition  to  handle  their  rifles. 


loo  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

The  remnant  that  had  struggled  through  with  them 
could  hardly  raise  themselves  from  the  floor. 

The  shed  being  loopholed,  McManus  and  his 
comrades  Ward  and  Eyan,  together  with  another  78  th 
man,  named  HoUowell,  were  able  to  keep  the  sepoys 
at  a  distance.  They  could  not  prevent,  however,  the 
ghastly  murder  of  the  wounded,  who  still  lay  in  the 
dhoolies  at  the  farther  end  of  the  square.  One  after 
another  the  unfortunate  men  were  shot  or  bayoneted 
as  they  lay,  only  one  (an  officer  of  the  90  th),  it  is 
recorded,  escaping  by  a  miracle. 

All  the  rest  of  that  fearful  day,  and  throughout  the 
night,  the  brave  surgeon  and  his  handful  of  men  held 
their  fort  against  the  swarms  of  mutineers  who  surged 
again  and  again  to  the  attack.  In  the  darkness  they 
heard  the  sepoys  tramping  about  on  the  roof,  but  a 
few  well-aimed  shots  put  these  daring  spirits  to  flight. 
The  lack  of  water  was  now  keenly  felt,  some  of  the 
wounded  suffering  terribly  for  want  of  it.  Moved  to 
desperation  by  their  piteous  cries,  and  hoping  to 
secure  a  safer  position,  Home  and  a  private  at  last 
stole  out  into  the  square  and  made  their  way  to  a 
mosque  some  yards  distant.  They  obtained  some 
water,  but  a  vigilant  sepoy  espied  their  movements, 
and  the  plucky  pair  only  just  got  back  to  the  shed  in 
time. 

"  The  terrors  of  that  awful  night,"  says  Dr.  Home 
in  his  account  of  his  experiences,  "  were  almost 
maddening :  raging  thirst,  uncertainty  as  to  where  the 
sepoys  would  next  make  an  attack ;  together  with  the 
exhaustion  produced  by  want  of  food,  heat,  and 
anxiety." 

But  morning  saw  them  still  alive,  and  with  the 
daylight    came    the    welcome    sound  of  rifle  volleys, 


THE  DEFENCE  OF^llE  DHObllfeS  '   ioi 

unmistakably  British.  Eyan,  who  was  acting  as 
sentry  at  a  loophole,  sprang  excitedly  to  his  feet  and 
roused  his  comrades  with  the  shout,  "  Oh,  boys, 
them's  our  own  chaps  1 " 

And  a  few  minutes  later  into  the  corpse-strewn 
square  swept  a  column  of  redcoats,  driving  the  sepoys 
before  them  in  wild  confusion.  With  Home  leading 
them,  the  heroes  of  Dhoolie  Square  gave  as  loud  a 
cheer  as  their  feeble  voices  could  raise,  and  flinging 
open  the  door  of  their  refuge,  rushed  out  to  greet 
their  rescuers. 

Surgeon  Home  (he  is  now  Sir  Anthony  Dickson 
Home,  K.C.B.),  and  Privates  McManus,  Ward,  Eyan, 
and  HoUowell,  all  received  the  Cross  for  Valour  for 
their  splendid  devotion  and  bravery ;  and  never,  surely, 
did  men  deserve  the  honour  more.  To  have  held 
something  like  a  thousand  rebels  in  check  for  a  day 
and  a  night,  and  to  have  protected  as  many  of  their 
wounded  as  they  did,  was  a  feat  that  they  might  well 
be  proud  of. 


CHAPTEE   XIIL 

INDIA. THREE   BRAVE    CIVILIANS:    MANGLES,    MCDONELL, 

AND    "  LUCKNOW  "    KAVANAGH. 

ON  the  8th  of  July  1859  an  interesting  announce- 
ment appeared  in  the  London  Gazette  to  the 
effect  that  her  Majesty  the  Queen  had  been  pleased  to 
declare  that  Non-Military  Persons  who,  as  Volunteers, 
had  borne  arms  against  the  Mutineers,  both  at 
Lucknow  and  elsewhere,  during  the  late  operations  in 
India,  should  be  considered  as  eligible  to  receive  the 
decoration  of  the  Victoria  Cross,  subject  to  the  rules 
and  ordinances,  etc.  etc. 

Under  this  new  clause  Mr.  Eoss  Lowis  Mangles, 
of  the  Bengal  Civil  Service,  Assistant-Magistrate  at 
Patna ;  Mr.  William  Eraser  McDonell,  Magistrate  of 
the  Saran  District ;  and  Mr.  Thomas  Henry  Kavanagh, 
Assistant-Commissioner  in  Oudh,  were  gazetted,  for 
distinguished  services  rendered  at  Arrah  and 
Lucknow. 

The  defence  of  Arrah,  a  town  in  the  Shahabad 
District  of  Bengal,  about  thirty-six  miles  from  Patna, 
was  one  of  the  most  thrilling  incidents  of  the  Indian 
Mutiny.  Here  for  a  whole  week  a  dozen  Englishmen 
and  a  small  body  of  Sikhs,  shut  up  in  a  two-storeyed 
house,  successfully  kept  off  over  two  thousand  sepoys 
until  a  relief  force  came  to  their  rescue.  One  young 
lieutenant  of  the  Southern  Mahratta  Irregular  Horse, 


THREE  BRAVE  CIVILIANS  103 

with  a  few  sowars  at  his  back,  might  storm 
a  seemingly  impregnable  fort  strongly  garrisoned  by 
mutineers,  and  kill  or  capture  every  man  of  them,  but 
reverse  the  positions  and  a  very  different  story  was 
told.  The  history  of  the  Great  Mutiny  contains  many 
instances  of  a  mere  handful  of  Englishmen  holding 
their  own  against  tremendous  odds,  as  was  done  at 
Arrah. 

When  news  came  of  the  outbreak  at  Arrah  and  the 
predicament  of  the  white  residents  there,  a  relief 
expedition  was  hastily  organised  at  Dinapur  under  the 
command  of  Captain  Dunbar.  It  was  destined  to  fail 
in  its  mission,  but  it  was  a  gallant  and  notable 
attempt.  The  force  comprised  four  hundred  men, 
drawn  from  the  10th  and  37th  Kegiments,  with  a 
sprinkling  of  volunteers.  Among  the  latter  were 
Messrs.  Koss  Mangles  and  McDonell,  whose  intimate 
knowledge  of  the  district  made  them  invaluable  as 
guides. 

All  went  well  with  the  expedition  in  its  journey 
up  the  Ganges  and,  on  landing,  it  marched  several 
miles  without  serious  molestation.  But  when  within 
a  few  miles  of  Arrah  it  was  obliged  to  pass  through  a 
thick  piece  of  jungle  in  which  the  sepoys  had  laid  an 
ambuscade.  Darkness  had  fallen  as  the  soldiers 
pushed  their  way  through  the  maze  of  trees  and  dense 
undergrowth,  and  the  murderous  fire  that  suddenly 
broke  out  threw  them  into  confusion. 

All  through  the  night  the  unequal  fight  went  on, 
but  the  loss  on  the  British  side  was  so  heavy  that 
when  morning  dawned  the  surviving  officers  saw  it 
would  be  impossible,  or  at  least  unwise,  to  continue 
the  advance.  Captain  Dunbar,  unfortunately,  had 
been  among  the  first  to  fall.     Very  reluctantly,  there- 


I04  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

fore,  the  order  to  retreat  was  given,  and  the  little 
force,  still  firing  on  its  foes,  slowly  fell  back.  Other 
sepoys  had  arrived  on  the  scene  in  the  meantime, 
and  the  exhausted  soldiers  now  found  themselves 
compelled  to  run  the  gauntlet  between  two  lines  of 
fire.  In  these  conditions  something  like  a  panic  at 
last  set  in ;  the  ranks  broke  up  in  disorder. 

"  But,  disastrous  as  was  the  retreat,"  says  one 
account,  "it  was  not  all  disgraceful.  There  will 
always  be  acts  of  individual  heroism  when  Englishmen 
go  out  to  battle.  It  may  be  a  soldier  or  it  may  be  a 
civilian,  in  whom  the  irrepressible  warrior  instinct 
manifests  itself  in  some  act  of  conspicuous  gallantry 
and  devotion,  but  it  is  sure  never  to  be  wanting." 

In  this  instance  it  was  the  civilian  who  rose  to  the 
occasion.  Early  in  the  engagement  Mr.  Mangles  had 
been  hit  by  a  musket  ball,  but  the  shot  had  luckily 
only  stunned  him.  Quickly  recovering,  he  lent  a  hand 
in  helping  the  wounded,  and  on  the  retreat  com- 
mencing he  played  an  active  part  in  beating  off  the 
sepoys.  With  a  number  of  men  round  him  to  reload 
and  supply  him  with  muskets,  he  shot  sepoy  after 
sepoy,  the  sure  eye  and  hand  which  had  made  him  a 
noted  tiger  shot  not  failing  him  in  this  hour  of  need. 

The  especial  act  for  which  he  was  awarded  the 
Cross,  however,  was  the  gallant  rescue  of  a  wounded 
private  of  the  Hampshires  (the  37  th  Foot).  At  the 
man's  piteous  appeal  to  his  comrades  not  to  leave  him 
there  helpless  to  be  hacked  to  pieces  by  the  sepoys. 
Mangles  nobly  rushed  to  his  side,  bound  up  his  wounds, 
and  then  lifted  him  on  to  his  back.  With  this  heavy 
burden  the  brave  civilian  trudged  on  among  the 
others. 

It  was  rough  going  for  the  greater  part  of  the  six 


THREE  BRAVE  CIVILIANS  105 

miles  to  the  river,  the  ground  being  very  swampy,  and 
overhead  was  a  broiling  July  sun.  Despite  these 
disadvantages,  and  the  fact  that  he  had  not  slept  for 
forty-eight  hours.  Mangles  bore  the  helpless  private  the 
whole  of  the  way,  only  stopping  now  and  then  to  place 
his  charge  on  the  ground  and  take  a  pot-shot  at  the 
pursuing  rebels.  "  I  really  never  felt  so  strong  in  my 
life,"  he  used  to  say  afterwards  in  referring  to  this 
incident.  When  the  waters  of  the  Ganges  were 
reached  he  plunged  in  and  swam  out  to  the  boats 
with  his  now  unconscious  burden.  Then,  when  all 
the  survivors  were  aboard,  the  flotilla  started  on  its 
sad  return  journey. 

Mr.  McDonell  all  this  time  had  been  ever  to  the 
front,  assisting  the  officers  to  keep  the  men  together. 
An  excellent  shot,  like  his  fellow-magistrate,  he 
accounted  for  many  a  rebel  ere  the  riverside  was 
reached,  but  he  did  not  escape  unscathed.  A  musket 
shot  had  lodged  in  his  arm. 

In  the  wild  rush  for  the  half-dozen  country  boats 
moored  close  to  the  river  bank,  McDonell  gave  no 
thought  to  himself.  There  were  several  men  very 
badly  hit,  and  it  was  not  until  he  had  seen  these  safely 
over  the  thwarts  that  he  jumped  in  and  cast  the 
mooring  adrift.  He  was  the  last  man  aboard  his 
boat,  which  was  crowded  with  thirty-five  soldiers. 

Out  into  the  stream  they  floated,  but  now  a  fresh 
danger  faced  them.  The  rebels  had  removed  the  oars 
from  the  boat  and  lashed  the  rudder  tightly,  so  that 
the  little  craft  was  helpless.  To  their  horror  it  began 
to  drift  back  again  to  the  southern  bank,  on  which  the 
sepoys  were  clustered  in  joyful  expectation  of  emptying 
their  muskets  into  the  boatload  of  sahibs.  Something 
had  to  be  done  at  once,  or  they  were  doomed. 


io6  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

To  show  his  face  above  the  gunwale  was  to  court 
instant  death,  but  McDonell  took  the  risk.  With  a 
knife  in  his  hand,  he  climbed  outside  on  to  the  canvas 
roof,  worked  his  way  to  the  stern  and  with  a  few  deft 
slashes  cut  the  ropes  that  held  the  tiller  fast.  Bullets 
pattered  all  round  him  as  he  lay  outstretched  there, 
and  one  passed  clean  through  his  helmet,  but  he  was 
otherwise  untouched.  Having  regained  his  seat 
safely,  he  steered  the  boat  and  its  precious  freight  to 
the  opposite  bank,  where  they  landed — three  men 
short.     The  sepoys'  fire  had  not  been  all  in  vain. 

While,  as  I  have  said,  both  Mangles  and  McDonell 
received  the  V.C.  for  their  bravery  on  this  occasion, 
it  is  a  remarkable  fact  that  the  former's  exploit  would 
have  passed  unnoticed  by  the  authorities  but  for  a 
happy  chance.  The  private  whose  life  he  had  saved 
and  who  had  passed  some  months  in  Dinapur  Hospital 
before  being  invalided  home,  had  told  the  story  of  his 
rescue  to  a  surgeon.  This  worthy  noted  it  down  at  the 
time  in  his  journal,  and  just  twelve  months  later  made 
the  true  facts  public. 

It  was  only  in  March  of  last  year  that  Mr.  Koss 
Lowis  Mangles  died  at  his  home  in  Surrey,  where,  after 
long  service  in  India,  he  had  settled  down  to  spend 
the  remaining  years  of  his  life. 

Of  the  three  civilians  who  have  won  the  V.C. 
"Lucknow"  Kavanagh  is  the  most  famous.  The 
story  of  his  daring  journey  in  disguise  through  the 
rebel  lines  in  order  to  act  as  guide  to  Sir  Colin 
Campbell's  relief  force  has  been  told  over  and  over 
again,  but  one  can  never  tire  of  hearing  it.  It  thrills 
our  pulses  now  as  much  as  ever  it  did. 

Thomas  Henry  Kavanagh  was  an  Irishman  in  the 


THREE  BRAVE  CIVILIANS  107 

Indian  Civil  Service.  At  the  time  the  Mutiny  broke 
out  he  held  the  post  of  Superintendent  of  the  office  of 
the  Chief  Commissioner  of  Oudh,  and  took  up  his 
residence  in  Lucknow.  Here  with  his  wife  he  played 
no  mean  part  in  these  fateful  months  before  and  after 
Havelock  and  Outram  had  fought  their  way  to  the  aid 
of  the  Eesidency  garrison,  taking  his  share  of  work  in 
the  trenches  or  at  the  guns  as  required. 

Early  in  November  1857,  Sir  Colin  Campbell, 
marching  with  a  large  army  to  the  relief  of  Lucknow, 
got  as  far  as  the  Alumbagh.  To  save  the  General 
from  having  to  make  the  perilous  passage  through  the 
narrow  streets  and  lanes  which  had  cost  him  so  many 
men  two  months  earlier,  Outram  by  means  of  a  native 
spy  sent  plans  of  the  city  and  its  approaches  to 
Campbell,  and  suggested  the  best  route  to  be  followed. 
There  was  still  the  danger,  however,  of  some  dreadful 
blunder  being^committed,  and  Outram  expressed  a  wish 
that  he  were  able  to  send  a  competent  guide. 

This  coming  to  Kavanagh's  ears,  he  promptly  went 
to  Outram 's  Chief  of  Staff,  Colonel  Eobert  Napier,^ 
and  volunteered  his  services  in  this  capacity.  The 
colonel  stared  at  him  in  blank  astonishment,  as  well 
he  might,  for  of  all  men  in  Lucknow  Kavanagh 
looked  to  be  the  one  least  suited  to  play  the  role  of 
spy.  He  was  a  tall,  big-limbed  man,  with  fair  com- 
plexion, "  aggressively  red  hair  and  beard,  and  uncom- 
promisingly blue  eyes."  To  transform  this  healthy 
specimen  of  an  Irishman  into  a  native  seemed  an  utter 
impossibility. 

But  Kavanagh  persisted  that  he  could  get  through 
to  the  British  lines.  He  would  be  disguised,  of  course 
and  his  knowledge  of  Hindustani  and  local  dialects 
^  Afterwards  Lord  Napier  of  Magdala. 


io8  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

was  perfect.  He  persisted  more  strenuously  still 
when,  on  his  being  ushered  into  Outram's  presence,  the 
General  refused  point  blank  to  consent  to  his  going. 
After  much  arguing,  he  at  length  persuaded  Outram 
to  listen  to  his  plan,  and  extorted  a  half-hearted 
permission  to  make  the  attempt.  It  remained  for 
him  to  convince  his  chief  of  the  impenetrability  of 
his  disguise. 

Kavanagh  has  told  us  in  his  own  account  of  the 
adventure,  how  the  same  evening  (Nov.  9  th),  with  face, 
neck,  and  arms  blackened  with  lamp-black,  his  red  hair 
hidden  beneath  a  cream-coloured  turban,  and  the  rest 
of  his  person  disguised  in  the  silk  trousers,  yellow 
koortah,  or  jacket,  white  cummerbund,  and  chintz 
mantle  of  an  irregular  native  soldier,  he  sauntered 
with  sword  and  shield  into  Napier's  quarters. 

The  experiment  was  an  immense  success.  Seeing 
what  was  evidently  a  hudmash  (a  worthless  fellow) 
thus  insolently  thrusting  himself  upon  them,  the 
officers  present  bade  him  begone,  and  a  very  pretty 
squabble  in  low-class  Hindustani  ensued.  In  the 
midst  of  it  Sir  James  Outram  entered  the  room,  and 
having  sufficiently  tested  his  disguise  Kavanagh  made 
himself  known.  To  his  joy,  no  opposition  was  now 
raised  to  his  plan. 

Half  an  hour  later,  with  the  native  spy  Kunoujee 
Lai,  who  was  returning  to  the  Alumbagh  with  a 
letter  from  Outram,  he  bade  good-bye  to  his  friends, 
forded  the  river  Goomtee,  and  started  on  his  perilous 
mission. 

"  My  courage  failed  me,"  he  confesses,  "  while  in 
the  water,  and  if  my  guide  had  been  within  my  reach 
I  should  perhaps  have  pulled  him  back  and  abandoned 
the  enterprise.     But  he  waded  quickly  through  the 


THREE  BRAVE  CIVILIANS  109 

stream,  and,  reaching  the  opposite  bank,  went  crouch- 
ing up  a  ditch  for  three  hundred  yards  to  a  grove  of 
low  trees  on  the  edge  of  a  pond,  where  we  stopped  to 
dress." 

His  confidence  having  returned,  Kavanagh  went 
boldly  forward,  tulwar  on  shoulder,  and  even  dared  to 
accost  a  matchlock  man  near  a  hut  with  a  remark 
that  the  night  was  cold.  A  little  farther  on  they 
were  pulled  up  by  the  officer  of  a  native  picket,  and 
Kunoujee  Lai,  acting  as  spokesman,  explained  that 
they  had  come  from  Mundeon  ("  our  old  cantonment ") 
and  were  making  their  way  to  their  homes  in  the 
city.  This  satisfied  the  sepoy  officer,  and  they  passed 
on  with  no  little  relief. 

Kecrossing  the  river  by  the  iron  bridge,  they  safely 
negotiated  the  streets  of  Lucknow,  though  the  place 
swarmed  with  sentries  and  armed  men,  and  issuing  at 
last  from  the  city  on  the  other  side,  breathed  more 
freely. 

"  I  was  in  great  spirits  when  we  reached  the  green 
fields,  into  which  I  had  not  been  for  five  months," 
says  Kavanagh.  "  Everything  around  us  smelt  sweet, 
and  a  carrot  I  took  from  the  roadside  was  the  most 
delicious  I  had  ever  tasted." 

A  wrong  turning  now  led  them  astray  into  the 
Dilkusha  Park,  where  the  rebels  had  a  battery.  Much 
against  his  companion's  will,  the  daring  Irishman 
insisted  on  inspecting  these  guns,  and  Kunoujee  Lai 
was  in  considerable  trepidation  until  after  two  hours' 
weary  tramping  across  paddy  fields  and  canal  cuttings 
they  regained  the  right  road. 

At  two  o'clock  in  the  morning,  after  several  alarms 
from  suspicious  villagers  who  chased  them  some 
distance,  they  stumbled  upon  a  picket  of  twenty-five 


no  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

sepoys  on  the  outskirts  of  the  city.  Kavanagh  was 
for  the  bold  course  of  going  up  and  questioning  the 
men,  but  Kunoujee  Lai  lost  heart  and  threw  away 
the  letter  entrusted  to  him  for  Sir  Colin  Campbell. 
Kavanagh  kept  his  still  concealed  in  his  turban. 

The  picket  was  in  some  alarm  at  their  approach, 
but  it  proved  to  be  fear  lest  the  pair  were  Englishmen 
from  the  Alumbagh  camp,  only  a  mile  or  two  in 
advance  of  them  !  With  this  cheering  news,  the  two 
spies  pushed  on,  a  friendly  sepoy  having  put  them  on 
the  right  road  on  hearing  that  they  were  "  walking  to 
the  village  of  Umroula  on  a  sad  errand,  namely,  to 
inform  a  friend  that  his  brother  had  been  killed 
by  a  ball  from  the  British  entrenchments  at 
Lucknow." 

A  nasty  tumble  into  a  swamp,  which  washed  the 
black  from  Kavanagh's  hands,  was  their  next  most 
serious  contretemps.  For  some  time  they  waded 
through  it  waist-deep,  having  gone  too  far  to  recede 
before  they  discovered  it  was  a  swamp.  An  hour 
afterwards  they  stole  unobserved  through  two  pickets 
of  sepoys  and  gained  the  shelter  of  a  grove  of  trees, 
where  Kavanagh  insisted  on  having  a  good  sleep. 
Kunoujee  Lai,  by  no  means  assured  that  they  were 
out  of  danger,  kept  a  fearful  watch,  but  nobody  came 
near  them  save  some  flying  natives,  who  stated  that 
they  had  been  pursued  by  British  soldiers. 

Kavanagh  having  been  roused,  the  two  went  on 
once  more.  Another  mile  or  so  was  traversed,  and 
then  (it  being  about  four  o'clock  in  the  morning  of 
the  10th)  the  welcome  challenge  "Who  goes 
there  ? "  rang  on  their  ears.  It  was  a  mounted 
patrol  of  Sikhs.  They  had  reached  the  British 
outposts. 


THREE  BRAVE  CIVILIANS  iii 

Two  men  of  the  patrol  guided  Kavanagh  and  his 
companion  to  the  camp,  where  they  were  immediately 
conducted  into  the  presence  of  Sir  Colin  Campbell. 
When  he  learned  that  Kavanagh  had  come  through 
the  rebel  lines,  the  Commander-in-Chief  could  not  find 
enough  words  to  express  his  admiration.  "  I  consider 
his  escape,"  he  wrote  in  his  despatch,  "at  a  time 
when  the  entrenchment  was  closely  invested  by  a 
large  army,  one  of  the  most  daring  feats  ever 
attempted." 

For  his  part,  Kavanagh  paid  a  generous  tribute  to 
his  fellow-spy,  Kunoujee  Lai,  who  had  displayed 
wonderful  courage  and  intelligence  in  their  trying 
journey.  When  they  were  questioned,  it  was  the 
native  who  did  most  of  the  speaking,  and  he  always 
had  a  ready  answer  for  the  most  searching  interroga- 
tion. 

The  news  of  Kavanagh's  arrival  was  signalled  to 
Lucknow  by  means  of  a  flag  from  the  summit  of  the 
Alumbagh,  and  Outram's  mind  was  set  at  ease.  In 
due  course  the  plucky  Irishman  guided  Sir  Colin  into 
the  city,  being  present  through  all  the  fierce  fighting  at 
the  Secunderabagh  and  the  Moti-Mahal,  and  further 
distinguishing  himself  by  saving  a  wounded  soldier's 
life.  Nor  does  this  close  the  tale  of  his  adventures, 
for  he  passed  through  many  exciting  experiences  in 
rebel-hunting  ere  the  Mutiny  was  suppressed. 

Kavanagh  lived  to  wear  the  Victoria  Cross  for 
twenty-three  years,  dying  in  1882  at  Gibraltar.  His 
Cross  was  presented  by  his  son  to  the  N.W.P.  and 
Oudh  Provincial  Museum  at  Lucknow,  while  the 
tulwar,  shield  and  pistol  he  bore  on  his  journey, 
together  with  other  articles  of  his  disguise,  are  pre- 
served in  the  Dublin  Museum. 


CHAPTEE   XIV. 

INDIA. SOME    OTHER    CROSSES    OF   THE    MUTINY. 

THE  full  tale  of  the  Crosses  of  the  Mutiny  (do  they 
not  number  one  hundred  and  eighty-two  in  all  ?) 
is  a  long  one,  and  cannot  be  told  here.  But  before 
bringing  this  chapter  of  V.C.  history  to  a  close  I  must 
tell  of  yet  a  few  more  and  the  manner  of  their  winning, 
for  they  call  to  mind  deeds  which  we  ought  not  will- 
ingly to  let  fade  from  our  memories. 

I  would  like  much  to  dwell,  did  space  permit,  on 
Lawrence's  heroic  stand  at  the  Lucknow  Residency ; 
to  tell  of  Lieutenant  Eobert  Aitken  of  the  Bailey 
Guard  "Post,"  who  won  the  V.C.  many  times  over 
in  that  six-months'  siege ;  of  brave  Commissioner 
Gubbins ;  and  of  Captain  Fulton,  the  garrison  engin- 
eer, who  had  a  countermine  for  every  mine  that  the 
rebels  drove  under  the  British  defences,  and  to  whom 
the  dangerous  game  of  sepoy  hunting  above  and 
below  earth  was  "  great  fun  and  excitement."  They 
were  gallant  fellows  all,  and  the  record  of  their 
exploits  is  truly  an  inspiring  one ;  but  I  must  hurry 
on  to  the  taking  of  Lucknow,  and  to  the  story  of  the 
V.C.'s  gained  in  that  last  desperate  struggle  for 
supremacy. 

When  Sir  Colin  Campbell  started  on  his  march  to 
the  relief  of  Havelock  and  Outram  he  had  an  army 


OTHER  CROSSES  OF  THE  MUTINY       113 

of  only  some  4700  men,  but  in  this  force  were  picked 
regiments  such  as  the  93rd  Highlanders,  the  9th 
Lancers,  Hodson's  Horse,  the  Eoyal  Welsh  Fusiliers, 
and  the  53rd  Foot  (the  "  Shropshires  "),  together  with 
some  squadrons  of  Sikh  cavalry  and  two  regiments 
of  Punjab  infantry.  The  famous  93rd  were  Sir 
Colin's  special  favourites.  They  had  been  with  him 
in  the  Crimea,  and  had  formed  the  "  thin  red  line " 
which  had  so  successfully  routed  the  Kussian  cavalry. 
"  You  are  my  own  lads.  Ninety-third ! "  he  said, 
addressing  them  at  the  parade  at  Buntera,  "and  I 
rely  on  you  to  do  the  work ; "  to  which  the  stern- 
faced  Highlanders,  mindful  of  what  had  been  done  at 
Cawnpore,  responded  with  a  mighty  shout. 

How  well  the  93  rd  acquitted  themselves  is  to 
be  read  in  any  history ;  what  is  of  particular  interest 
here  is  that  they  gained  no  fewer  than  seven  Crosses 
in  the  Lucknow  fighting. 

Four  of  these  belong  to  the  fierce  assault  on  the 
Secunderabagh,  the  first  and  most  formidable  rebel 
position  to  be  attacked.  When  the  artillery  had 
made  a  breach  in  the  face  of  the  fortress  wall  there 
was  a  race  between  Sikhs  and  Highlanders  to  be 
the  first  in.  Accounts  differ  as  to  the  result;  some 
say  a  Sikh  won  the  honour,  being  shot  dead  instantly ; 
others  a  Highlander,  who  suffered  the  same  fate. 
However  that  may  be,  it  is  pretty  certain  that  Lance- 
Corporal  Dunley  of  the  93  rd  (Archibald  Forbes  writes 
him  down  an  Irishman)  was  the  first  man  of  his 
regiment  to  reach  the  goal  and  get  through  alive. 

Behind    him    streamed    Highlanders    and    Sikhs, 

tumbling   in   with  bayonets  fixed,  before   which   the 

sepoys  fell  in  scores.     There  were  upwards  of  2000 

rebels  in  the  Secunderabagh,  and  but  three  or  four, 

8 


114  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C 

says  Lord  Koberts,  dropped  over  the  wall  on  the  city 
side  and  escaped.  Every  other  man  of  them  was 
killed.  The  carnage  that  took  place  within  the 
courtyard  almost  passes  description. 

In  the  first  terrible  rush,  which  resolved  itself  into 
a  series  of  personal  combats,  Private  P.  Grant  and 
Colour-Serjeant  J.  Munro  distinguished  themselves  by 
saving  the  lives  of  two  officers.  Grant  saw  his  officer 
in  difficulties  with  a  crowd  of  sepoys  whose  colour  he 
had  captured,  and  rushing  up  cut  down  five  of  the 
rebels.  That  was  not  the  only  sepoy  ensign  taken 
that  day,  for  Private  D.  Mackay  secured  one  after 
a  fierce  contest  and  bore  it  triumphantly  away. 

Dunley,  Grant,  Munro,  and  Mackay  were  elected 
by  their  comrades  as  most  worthy  to  be  decorated 
when  their  regiment  was  singled  out  for  distinction, 
and  each  duly  received  the  V.C. 

There  was  a  Punjabi  Mahommedan,  by  the  way, 
Mukarrab  Khan  by  name,  who  in  this  same  Secun- 
derabagh  fight  earned  the  V.C.  as  much  as  did  any 
man.  Lord  Eoberts,  who  was  an  eye-witness,  tells 
the  story  of  his  bravery.  The  enemy,  he  says,  having 
been  driven  out  of  the  earthwork,  made  for  the  gate- 
way, which  they  nearly  succeeded  in  shutting  behind 
them.  But  just  as  the  doors  were  closing  Mukarrab 
Khan  pushed  his  left  arm,  on  which  he  bore  a  shield, 
between  them.  A  sword-cut  slashed  his  hand,  where- 
upon the  dauntless  Mahommedan,  withdrawing  his 
left  arm,  thrust  in  his  right,  and  had  his  other  hand 
all  but  severed  at  the  wrist.  He  gained  his  object, 
however,  for  he  kept  the  doors  from  being  closed  until 
his  comrades  rushed  to  his  help  and  forced  them  open. 

It  was  an  act  of  heroic  devotion,  and  it  is  satis- 
factory to  know  that  Mukarrab  Khan  was  awarded 


OTHER  CROSSES  OF  THE  MUTINY       115 

fche  Order  of  Merit,  which  is  the  Indian  equivalent 
of  the  V.C.,  and  carries  with  it  an  increase  of  pay. 

At  the  taking  of  the  Shah  Nujeef,  on  the  same  day, 
the  16th  of  November  1857,  Sergeant  John  Paton, 
of  the  93rd,  did  a  daring  thing,  which  added  another 
V.C.  to  the  regimental  record. 

The  Shah  Nujeef  was  a  mosque  built  over  the  tomb 
of  an  old  king  of  Oudh,  a  massively  built  structure 
with  loopholed  walls,  and  the  guns  of  the  Naval 
Brigade,  under  Captain  Peel,  were  unable  to  make 
a  breach.  As  night  was  fast  coming  on,  Sir  Colin 
Campbell  determined  to  make  a  bold  effort  to  carry 
the  place  by  storm,  and  called  on  the  Highlanders  to 
follow  him.  That  the  93rd  would  have  scaled  the 
walls  of  the  mosque  though  half  of  them  fell  in  the 
task  need  not  be  doubted,  but  fortunately  they  were 
not  called  on  to  do  so. 

Soon  after  the  order  to  advance  had  been  given, 
Sergeant  Paton  came  tearing  down  the  ravine  with 
the  news  that  he  had  discovered  a  breach  in  the  north- 
east corner  of  the  rampart,  close  by  the  river  Goomtee. 
"It  appears,"  says  Forbes-Mitchell  of  the  93rd,  who 
records  the  incident,  "  that  our  shot  and  shell  had 
gone  over  the  first  breach,  and  had  blown  out  the 
wall  on  the  other  side  in  this  particular  spot.  Paton 
told  how  he  had  climbed  up  to  the  top  of  the  ram- 
parts without  difficulty,  and  seen  right  inside  the 
place,  as  the  whole  defending  force  had  been  called 
forward  to  repulse  the  assault  in  front." 

A  detachment  was  promptly  sent  round  to  this 
point  with  the  sergeant  as  guide,  and  an  entrance  to 
the  position  effected.  But  the  sepoys,  finding  them- 
selves thus  taken  in  the  rear,  gave  up  the  fight  and 
fled  with  all  speed. 


ii6  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

The  other  two  V.C.  heroes  of  the  Highlanders  were 
Captam  Stewart,  who  headed  a  splendid  charge 
against  the  rebel  guns  at  the  position  known  as 
the  Mess-house  ;  and  Lieutenant  and  Adjutant  William 
M'Bean,  who  at  the  onslaught  on  the  Begumbagh 
Palace  bore  himself  like  a  paladin  of  old,  and  was 
seen  to  slay  eleven  sepoys  single-handed.  M'Bean 
was  a  mighty  figure  in  a  corps  wherein  every  man 
was  a  doughty  fighter,  and  the  tale  of  his  exploits  is 
a  notable  one.  An  Inverness  ploughman  before  he 
enlisted,  he  rose  to  command  the  regiment  which  he 
had  entered  as  a  private,  and  died  a  Major-General. 

I  have  mentioned  the  Naval  Brigade  in  connection 
with  the  attack  on  the  Shah  Nujeef.  Peel's  gallant 
bluejackets,  whom  we  last  met  doing  great  things  at 
Sebastopol,  had  been  hurried  to  India  from  their 
station  at  Hong  Kong,  immediately  news  arrived  of 
the  outbreak  of  the  Mutiny ;  and  after  smelling 
powder  at  Cawnpore  and  other  places  they  accom- 
panied the  relief  army  to  Lucknow. 

Eight  up  under  the  frowning  walls  of  the  mosque 
did  they  run  their  useful  24-pounders,  as  coolly  as  if 
"  laying  alongside  an  enemy's  frigate,"  to  use  Sir 
Colin's  own  words.  But  the  guns  were  not  powerful 
enough  to  break  down  the  masonry.  Despite  the 
obvious  hopelessness  of  the  task,  however.  Lieutenant 
Young  and  Seaman  William  Hall  (a  negro,  be  it  noted) 
fearlessly  stood  by  their  gun,  reloading  and  pounding 
away  at  the  wall  under  a  most  deadly  fire,  and  only 
desisting  when  the  order  eventually  came  to  fall 
back.  They  both  got  the  V.C.  for  that  gallant 
action. 

The  other  Crosses  that  fell  to  the  Naval  men  in 
the  same  fight  were  won  by  a  young  lieutenant  whose 


OTHER  CROSSES  OF  THE  MUTINY       117 

name  still  figures  on  the  Active  List  as  Admiral  Sir 
Nowell  Salmon,  G.C.B.,  and  Boatswain's  Mate  John 
Harrison.  These  two  pluckily  volunteered  to  climb 
trees  that  overlooked  the  mosque  walls  and  reconnoitre 
the  rebel  position,  at  the  same  time  picking  off  the 
sepoys  with  their  rifles.  A  mark  at  once  for  the  rebel 
sharpshooters,  who  quickly  espied  them,  both  men 
drew  upon  themselves  a  heavy  fire,  but  though  they 
were  wounded  they  accounted  for  several  mutineers 
ere  clambering  down  from  their  perches,  and  secured 
valuable  information  for  their  commander. 

In  the  taking  of  Lucknow  young  Lieutenant  Henry 
Havelock,  son  of  the  famous  General,  played  a  prom- 
inent part,  leading  a  storming  party  that  captured  a 
palace  close  to  the  rebel  citadel,  the  Kaisarbagh.  But 
he  had  won  his  V.C.  before  this,  at  Cawnpore,  where 
he  captured  a  rebel  gun  in  the  face  of  an  appalling 
fire ;  and  at  the  Charbagh  Bridge,  Lucknow,  while 
serving  under  his  father. 

His  action  at  the  latter  place  was  characteristic 
of  his  impulsive  bravery.  Neill,  who  held  a  position 
by  the  bridge,  would  not  move  to  "  rush  "  the  sepoys 
and  their  guns  without  orders  from  Outram.  Wheel- 
ing his  horse,  it  is  said,  young  Havelock  rode  off  in 
the  direction  of  the  General  and  his  staff,  but  soon 
after  turning  the  bend  in  the  road  he  galloped  hastily 
back  to  trick  Neill  into  taking  action.  Giving  a 
salute,  he  said,  "You  are  to  carry  the  bridge  at 
once,  sir ! " 

Taking  this  to  be  an  order  from  the  General,  Neill 
gave  the  word  to  advance,  and  Arnold  of  the  Madras 
Fusiliers  led  his  men  forward  in  a  gallant  charge, 
being  shot  down  almost  immediately.  A  storm  of 
grape  swept  the  bridge  clear,  and  Havelock  found 


ii8  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

himself  the  only  officer — and  almost  the  only  man — 
standing  there  alive.  With  a  wave  of  his  sword  and 
a  shout  to  the  rest  of  the  Fusiliers  whom  the  guns 
had  checked,  he  led  a  second  charge,  and  this  time  the 
bridge  was  won. 

Young  Havelock's  gallantry  in  the  Indian  Mutiny 
marked  him  out  for  a  distinguished  career,  and  he  did 
not  disappoint  those  who  prophesied  thus  concerning 
him.  As  is  well  known,  he  became  in  after 
years  Lieutenant-General  Sir  Henry  Havelock- Allan, 
Bart.,  KC.B. 

Among  the  many  other  pictures  of  the  Mutiny 
that  present  themselves  vividly  to  my  mind  is  one 
of  a  young  Fusilier  officer  swimming  the  river 
Goomtee  in  plain  sight  of  any  sepoys  who  might  be 
upon  the  farther  bank,  and  audaciously  climbing  up 
the  parapet  of  a  rebel  battery.  It  had  been  shelled 
by  our  troops,  but  with  what  success  was  not  known. 
He  stands  there  on  the  wall  signalling  to  his  impatient 
comrades  that  it  is  abandoned,  but  it  is  some  time  ere 
their  officers  will  let  them  follow  where  he  has  led. 
The  Highlanders  and  Sikhs  get  across  the  river  at 
last,  however,  and  with  a  laugh  at  the  discomfited 
sepoys  who  have  been  vainly  trying  to  "  pot "  him 
from  an  adjacent  battery,  the  young  officer — Butler 
by  name — hands  over  his  captured  position  to  the 
new-comers,  and  swims  back  to  his  own  regiment. 

That  was  a  V.C.  exploit,  and  it  holds  the  imagina- 
tion as  much  as  does  that  which  won  the  decoration 
for  Ensign  Patrick  Eoddy  of  the  Bengal  Army. 
The  scene  of  Eoddy's  achievement  was  Kuthirga, 
and  the  date  September  27,  1858.  At  the  close  of 
an  action  with  a  rebel  force  at  this  place  some  of  the 
cavalry  were  kept  at  bay  for  some  time  by  a  deter- 


OTHER  CROSSES  OF  THE  MUTINY       119 

mined  sepoy  subadar  of  a  revolted  regiment,  a  tall, 
powerful  fellow.  This  man  knelt  alone  in  the 
middle  of  the  road  and  with  musket  at  shoulder 
covered  his  enemies. 

While  his  sowars  hung  back,  afraid  to  face  that 
gleaming  barrel,  young  Eoddy  did  not  hesitate. 
Spurring  his  horse,  he  charged  straight  upon  the  rebel 
subadar,  who  firing  at  close  range  brought  down 
the  ensign's  horse.  Eoddy  had  some  difficulty  in 
freeing  himself  from  the  stirrups  as  he  lay  on  the 
ground,  but  ere  the  sepoy  could  get  really  to  grips 
with  him  he  managed  to  draw  his  sword,  and  in  the 
tussle  ran  the  fellow  through  the  body.  Sir  Hope 
Grant  had  had  occasion  previously  to  remark  on  the 
young  ensign's  conspicuous  bravery,  and  he  took  care 
that  this  special  feat  was  fittingly  rewarded. 

Mention  of  Roddy's  hand-to-hand  combat  reminds 
me  of  the  great  fight  between  Sapper  Sam  Shaw,  of 
the  Rifle  Brigade,  and  a  white  muslin-clad  Ghazi,  at 
Nawabgunge.  It  was  after  the  sharp  action  at  that 
place  in  June  1858  that  the  fanatic  was  seen  to 
enter  a  grove  of  trees.  A  dozen  men  hastened  in 
pursuit,  but  Shaw  was  easily  the  first,  and  coming  up 
with  his  man  he  engaged  him  with  the  short  sword 
that  sappers  carry. 

A  Ghazi  at  best  is  a  dangerous  fellow  to  tackle,  and 
a  Ghazi  wounded  and  at  bay,  as  this  one  was,  might 
well  have  made  Sam  Shaw  hesitate  before  venturing 
to  attack  him  alone.  But  the  sapper  was  not  a  man 
to  think  twice  of  danger,  and  in  he  went,  sword  against 
tulwar,  until  after  several  minutes'  fierce  hacking  and 
thrusting  he  saw  his  chance  to  close,  and  finished  the 
afiair  with  a  mighty  lunge. 

It  was  a  great  fight,  as  I  have  said,  and  Sapper 


I20  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

Shaw  well  earned  the  V.C.  he  got  for  it.  But  against 
his  decoration  he  had  to  put  a  terrible  slashing  cut  on 
the  head  from  that  keen-edged  tulwar,  a  wound  that 
came  very  near  to  ending  his  career  then  and 
there. 

Last  on  my  list  of  Mutiny  V.C.'s  come  Lance-Corporal 
William  Goate,  of  the  9  th  Lancers,  and  that  popular 
hero,  Sir  Evelyn  Wood,  whose  names  still  figure  in  the 
list  of  surviving  recipients  of  the  Cross  for  Valour. 

Goate  had  just  been  three  years  and  a  half  in  the 
Lancers  when  the  Mutiny  broke  out.  His  regiment 
was  stationed  at  Umballa  at  the  time,  and  proceeded 
at  once  to  Delhi.  After  the  fall  of  the  old  Punjab 
capital  he  was  at  the  second  captures  of  Cawnpore  and 
Lucknow,  taking  part  in  some  of  the  fiercest  engage- 
ments of  the  campaign,  and  it  was  here — at  Lucknow 
— that  he  performed  the  deed  of  valour  which  won 
him  the  Cross. 

On  the  6  th  of  March — a  blazing  hot  day,  it  is 
recorded — there  was  a  bold  sortie  from  the  rebel  lines 
which  a  British  brigade  was  sent  to  repulse.  The  9th 
Lancers  was  one  of  the  regiments  ordered  to  charge, 
and  away  they  went,  neck  and  neck  with  the  2nd 
Dragoons,  for  the  enemy  who  had  taken  up  their 
position  on  the  racecourse.  The  sepoys  broke  before 
the  onset  of  the  cavalrymen,  but  the  latter  at  length 
had  to  retire  owing  to  a  heavy  fire  from  artillery 
and  battery. 

In  the  ride  back  Major  Percy  Smith,  of  the  Dragoons, 
was  shot  through  the  body  and  fell  from  his  horse. 
Corporal  Goate  was  close  by,  and  springing  to  the 
ground  he  quickly  lifted  the  major  on  to  his  shoulder 
and  ran  with  him  thus  alongside  his  horse.  The 
major  was    a    heavy  weight,  however;    Goate   found 


OTHER  CROSSES  OF  THE  MUTINY       121 

himself  lagging  behind  with  several  of  the  enemy 
close  upon  him.  Clearly  he  couldn't  get  away  with 
his  burden,  so  he  determined  to  do  what  he  could 
for  himself  and  the  major.  Placing  the  wounded 
officer  on  the  ground,  he  sprang  into  his  saddle  and 
rode  at  his  foes. 

"  I  shot  the  first  sepoy  who  charged,"  he  says  in  his 
account  of  the  incident,  "  and  with  my  empty  pistol 
felled  another.  This  gave  me  time  to  draw  my  sword, 
my  lance  having  been  left  on  the  field.  The  sepoys 
were  now  round  me  cutting  and  hacking,  but  I 
managed  to  parry  every  slash  and  deliver  many  a 
fatal  thrust.  It  was  parry  and  thrust,  thrust  and 
parry  all  through,  and  I  cannot  tell  you  how  many 
saddles  I  must  have  emptied.  The  enemy  didn't  seem 
to  know  how  to  parry." 

So  our  brave  corporal  (he  was  only  a  little  more 
than  twenty,  mind  you)  "  settled  accounts  with  a  jolly 
lot,"  and  was  still  hard  at  it  when  some  of  his  comrades 
came  to  his  assistance.  In  the  fight  his  horse  had 
carried  him  some  distance  from  where  the  major  lay, 
and  when  the  rebels  had  been  forced  back  he  went  out 
again  to  look  for  him.  Poor  Major  Smith  was  found 
after  a  long  search,  but  it  was  a  mutilated  corpse 
that  was  brought  sadly  and  reverently  back  to  the 
camp. 

Sir  Colin  Campbell  and  Sir  Hope  Grant  had  seen 
Goate's  gallant  attempt  at  rescue,  and  after  the  action 
there  was  a  cordial  handshake  for  him  from  both  the 
veterans,  with  many  compliments  upon  his  pluck  that 
filled  the  corporal  with  just  pride. 

The  scene  of  Sir  Evelyn  Wood's  principal  exploit 
was  the  wilds  of  Sindhora,  near  Gwalior.  It  was  at 
the  close  of  the  Mutiny,  when  the  rebels  had  been 


122  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

split  up  and  only  kept  the  fires  of  rebellion  burning 
in  detached  districts.  After  a  fatiguing  pursuit  of  some 
mutineers  one  day,  news  came  to  the  young  officer's  ears 
(he  was  a  lieutenant  in  the  l7th  Lancers  then)  that  a 
potail — a  loyal  native  named  Chemmum  Singh — had 
been  carried  off  by  a  band  of  these  marauders.  With 
a  duffadar,  two  or  three  sowars  of  Beatson's  Horse,  and 
half  a  dozen  sepoys  of  the  Bareilly  Levy,  he  started  off 
promptly  in  pursuit. 

The  mutineers  were  discovered  at  night  in  the 
jungle,  twelve  miles  away,  preparing  to  hang  their 
captive.  Creeping  up  unseen.  Lieutenant  Wood  and 
his  few  followers  sprang  upon  them  from  several  points 
at  once,  firing  a  volley  and  shouting  as  if  they  had  a 
whole  company  behind  them.  This  was  enough  for 
the  rebels.  They  took  to  their  heels  incontinently, 
and  before  they  could  rally  and  discover  the  numbers 
of  their  assailants  Wood  and  his  men  were  riding 
swiftly  back  with  the  released  potail. 

That  daring  adventure,  together  with  a  very 
notable  rout  of  rebel  cavalry  at  Sindwaho  a  little 
earlier,  was  sufficient  recommendation  for  the  V.C,  and 
the  honour,  though  slow  in  coming,  was  eventually 
bestowed  upon  him. 

It  is  curious  to  note  how  persistently  the  authorities 
refused  to  recognise  Evelyn  Wood's  valour.  In  the 
Crimea,  where  as  a  middy  he  served  with  the  Naval 
Brigade,  he  was  singled  out  for  distinction  for  his 
bravery  at  the  Kedan  assault;  but  his  claim  was 
ignored,  despite  the  strong  protests  of  his  commander, 
Captain  Lushington. 

His  subsequent  career,  after  he  had  abandoned  the 
Navy  for  the  Army,  should  be  well  known  to  every 
British  boy.     There  has  not  been  a  war  since  the 


OTHER  CROSSES  OF  THE  MUTINY       123 

Mutiny  in  which  he  has  not  played  a  leading  part, — 
witness  the  Ashanti,  Zulu,  Transvaal,  and  Egyptian 
campaigns, — and  to-day  there  is  no  finer  soldier  in  the 
service  than  the  ex-  Sirdar  of  the  Egyptian  army,  Field- 
Marshal  Sir  Henry  Evelyn  Wood,  G.C.B. 


CHAPTEE    XV. 

IN    THE   SIXTIES. CHINA,   JAPAN,   INDIA,    WEST    AFRICA, 

AND    CANADA. 

THE  principal  war  in  which  we  were  engaged  in 
the  sixties  was  that  waged  against  the  Maoris 
in  New  Zealand,  but  that  demands  a  chapter  to  itself. 
For  the  present  I  will  confine  myself  to  some  of  the 
smaller  campaigns  of  the  same  period  which  yielded 
several  notable  V.C.'s. 

Towards  the  end  of  1859  trouble  broke  out  afresh 
with  China,  immediately  after  the  conclusion  of  what 
is  known  as  the  Second  Chinese  War.  Sir  F.  Bruce, 
the  British  Commissioner,  while  sailing  up  the  Pei-ho 
to  Pekin  to  ratify  the  treaty  just  made  with  the 
Emperor,  was  fired  upon  by  the  Taku  Forts  at  the 
mouth  of  the  river.  No  apologies  being  forthcoming, 
an  expedition  under  General  Sir  James  Hope  Grant 
was  despatched  to  teach  the  Chinese  a  salutary  lesson. 

The  expedition,  which  was  strengthened  by  a  French 
force,  was  ready  to  begin  operations  against  the  Taku 
Forts  by  July  1860,  but  owing  to  the  swampy  nature 
of  the  country  around  them  a  halt  had  to  be  called 
while  the  engineers  set  to  work  to  make  roads.  These 
were  completed  by  the  middle  of  August,  and  then  the 
attack  commenced  in  real  earnest. 

Under    a    heavy  fire   from    the    Chinese  gunners 


IN  THE  SIXTIES.— CHINA,  JAPAN,  ETC.     125 

English  and  French  vied  with  each  other  to  be  the 
first  to  cross  the  ditches  in  front  of  the  forts.  Scaling- 
ladders  and  pontoon  bridges  were  requisitioned,  but 
the  delay  in  placing  these  in  position  galled  a  number 
of  our  men  to  such  an  extent  that  privates  and  officers 
alike  plunged  boldly  into  the  water  and  swam  across. 
The  first  to  reach  the  walls  were  Lieutenant  Eobert 
Kogers,  of  the  44th  Kegiment,  two  Lieutenants  of  the 
67th,  E.  H.  Lenon  and  Nathaniel  Burslem,  with 
Privates  John  M'Dougall  and  Thomas  Lane.  Up 
through  the  embrasures  they  all  clambered,  Burslem 
and  Lane  being  specially  noticed  as  they  knocked 
away  a  portion  of  the  wall  and  enlarged  the  opening 
sufficiently  to  enable  them  to  scramble  through,  just 
as  did  Dunley  at  the  Secunderabagh  fight. 

Where  they  showed  the  way  their  comrades  quickly 
followed,  the  while  some  of  the  French  with  ladders 
vainly  attempted  to  climb  the  walls.  At  the  head  of 
the  67th  Kegiment  came  Ensign  Chaplin,  bearing 
proudly  the  colour  which  he  was  determined  to  plant 
first  upon  the  fort.  He  had  hardly  gained  the  ditch, 
however,  when  a  bullet  struck  him  in  the  arm, 
making  him  drop  the  standard.  There  was  a  brief 
pause  while  he  bound  a  handkerchief  tightly  round 
his  wound,  then  on  he  went  again,  colours  raised 
aloft. 

A  French  regiment  of  infantry  was  pressing  forward 
at  the  same  time,  and  Chaplin  playfully  called  to  their 
colour-bearer  to  race  him  to  the  fort.  The  challenge 
was  promptly  taken  up.  As  soon  as  the  breach  was 
clear  the  ensign  dashed  for  it,  and  by  strenuous  effi)rt 
forced  his  way  inside.  Before  him  were  Chinese  rifle- 
men and  pikemen,  but  he  cut  his  way  through  them 
with  his  sword,  and  hurried  on  to  his  goal. 


126  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

Suddenly  a  second  bullet  caught  him,  making  him 
stagger,  at  which  a  private  clutched  at  the  swaying 
standard  pole. 

"  Hands  off  I "  cried  Chaplin  vehemently,  for  he  saw 
that  the  French  colour-bearer  was  now  close  behind 
him.  And,  pulling  himself  together  gamely,  he  made 
a  last  spurt  for  the  summit,  which  he  reached  well  in 
advance  of  all  others.  In  a  moment  the  flag  was 
planted,  amid  a  ringing  British  cheer ;  then  the  brave 
young  ensign  was  seen  to  fall.  A  shot  in  the  leg  had 
brought  him  down  at  last. 

Seeing  him  prone  on  the  ground  at  their  mercy,  the 
Chinese  made  a  rush  for  him,  but  they  were  luckily 
too  late.  The  67th  swarmed  up  the  hill,  and  Chaplin 
was  rescued  to  survive  that  engagement  and  many 
others,  and  wear  on  his  breast  the  Cross  for  Valour 
in  token  of  his  gallantry.  At  the  same  time  that  he 
was  gazetted  the  names  of  Kogers,  Lenon,  Burslem, 
M'Dougall,  and  Lane  also  appeared,  the  V.C.  having 
been  bestowed  upon  them  for  that  bold  dash  at  the 
breach. 

The  obvious  similarity  of  the  incidents  makes  it  un- 
necessary for  me  to  more  than  just  refer  here  to  the 
deed  for  which  Midshipman  D.  G.  Boyes  and  Captain 
of  the  After-Guard  Thomas  Pride,  of  H.M.S.  Euryahis, 
won  the  Cross.  Their  vessel  formed  one  of  the  fleet 
under  Vice-Admiral  Kuper  which  was  sent  to  Japan 
in  1863  to  demand  reparation  from  the  Mikado's 
Government  for  certain  outrages  committed.  At  the 
attack  on  Shimonoseki  Boyes  carried  the  colour  of  the 
leading  regiment,  with  Pride  as  one  of  his  colour- 
sergeants  (the  other  fell  mortally  wounded  in  the 
thick  of  the  fight),  and  was  almost  the  first  to  get 
inside  the  enemy's  stockade.     That  the  middy  ran  a 


IN  THE  SIXTIES.— CHINA,  JAPAN,  ETC.     127 

terrible  risk  is  evident  from  the  fact  that  the  colour 
he  carried  was  pierced  no  fewer  than  six  times  by 
musket  balls. 

Out  in  the  Indian  state  of  Bhotan  in  1865  an  act 
of  remarkable  daring  was  performed,  which  brought 
the  V.C.  to  two  distinguished  engineer  officers, 
Captain  (now  Major-General)  William  Spottiswoode 
Trevor  and  Lieutenant  James  Dundas.  In  that  year 
war  broke  out  with  the  independent  Bhotias,  originat- 
ing in  a  quarrel  over  frontier  territories  in  Assam, 
and  a  British  force  under  Major-General  Sir  Harry 
Tombs,  V.C,  the  hero  of  a  little  outpost  skirmish  at 
Delhi,  already  recorded,  was  despatched  to  restore 
order. 

On  the  30  th  of  April  a  sharp  engagement  at 
Dewangiri,  down  in  the  south-east  corner  of  the  little 
hill-state,  resulted  in  the  Bhotias  being  driven  out  of 
their  position ;  but  a  remnant  of  them,  some  two 
hundred  in  all,  obstinately  barricaded  themselves  in  a 
strongly-built,  loopholed  blockhouse.  This  little  fort- 
ress, standing  at  the  summit  of  a  rocky  path,  was  the 
key  to  the  position,  and  it  was  essential  that  it  should 
not  be  held  to  serve  as  a  rallying-point  for  the  routed 
enemy. 

Turning  to  his  Sikhs,  General  Tombs  asked  them 
to  make  a  dash  for  the  walls  and  carry  the  place  by 
storm,  but,  courageous  fighters  though  they  were, 
they  looked  at  the  rows  of  deadly  loopholes  and 
stood  still.  They  only  waited  for  a  leader,  however. 
With  an  "  officer  sahib  "  at  their  head,  the  big,  black- 
bearded  Punjabis  were  ready  for  the  most  forlorn 
of  hopes.  And  they  followed  with  alacrity  when, 
at  Tombs'  call.  Captain  Trevor  and  Lieutenant  Dundas 
showed  them  the  way. 


128  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

Taking  the  path  at  a  rush,  the  two  officers  gained 
the  wall  of  the  blockhouse  unscathed,  and  though 
from  every  loophole  came  the  crackle  of  a  rifle  they 
began  to  scramble  up  the  wall.  The  latter  was 
fourteen  feet  high,  no  mean  obstacle  to  surmount ; 
but  they  got  up  at  last,  the  captain  leading,  and  found 
themselves  on  a  level  with  the  roof  of  the  blockhouse. 
Between  the  top  of  the  wall  and  the  roof  was  an 
opening  not  more  than  two  feet  wide.  Through  this 
was  their  only  chance  of  getting  inside,  and  they 
took  it. 

Head  foremost  they  wriggled  in  through  the  narrow 
hole,  one  after  the  other,  and  dropped  like  snakes 
from  the  thatch  into  the  midst  of  the  surprised 
garrison.  At  the  first  discharge  of  muskets  both 
of  the  intrepid  officers  were  wounded,  but  the  Sikhs 
thronging  in  behind  them  quickly  finished  the 
business.  Within  a  few  minutes  the  blockhouse  was 
swept  clear. 

The  following  year,  1866,  saw  us  involved  in 
trouble  with  a  West  African  tribe  in  the  Gambia 
district.  A  punitive  expedition  having  been  organised 
under  the  command  of  Colonel  D'Arcy,  the  Governor 
of  Gambia,  the  kingdom  of  Barra,  in  which  the 
turbulent  tribe  resided,  was  invaded.  One  of  the 
first  actions  in  this  campaign  was  the  assault  on  the 
stockaded  town  of  Tubabecolong,  and  here  Private 
Samuel  Hodge,  of  the  4th  West  India  Eegiment, 
behaved  with  such  gallantry  that  he  became  the 
second  man  of  colour  to  receive  the  V.C. 

When  the  little  force  reached  the  town,  Colonel 
D'Arcy  called  for  volunteers  to  break  down  the 
stockade  with  axes.  Hodge  and  another  pioneer,  who 
was  afterwards  killed,  answered  the  call,  and  plied 


IN  THE  SIXTIES.— CHINA,  JAPAN,  ETC.     129 

their  axes  bravely  in  the  face  of  the  negroes'  fire 
until  a  breach  had  been  made.  Through  this  the 
regiment  struggled,  but  the  negroes  had  been  rein- 
forced, and  so  strongly  that  they  were  able  to  beat 
the  besiegers  off  for  a  time. 

Colonel  D'Arcy  relates  that  he  found  himself  left 
alone  in  the  breach  with  only  Hodge  by  him.  Here 
he  kept  firing  at  the  negroes,  while  the  big  West 
Indian,  standing  coolly  at  his  side,  conspicuous  in 
his  scarlet  uniform  with  white  facings,  supplied  him 
with  loaded  muskets.  After  a  little  time  the  rest 
of  the  men  re-formed  and  came  once  more  to  the 
attack,  whereupon  Hodge  went  ahead  again,  breaking 
a  way  for  them  through  the  bush- work  defences. 

To  give  his  comrades  a  better  chance  of  storming 
the  place,  he  at  last  ran  round  to  the  principal 
entrance,  drove  off  such  of  the  negroes  as  thrust 
themselves  in  his  path,  and  forced  open  the  two 
great  gates  which  had  been  barricaded  from  within. 
Through  these  the  West  Indian  Kegiment  charged 
with  their  bayonets,  and  when  they  emerged  at  the 
other  side  of  the  smoke-enveloped  village  they  left 
some  hundreds  of  negroes  dead  and  dying  in  their 
wake. 

Colonel  D'Arcy  had  done  great  deeds  of  valour 
that  day,  deeds  which  were  suitably  recognised  later 
by  the  merchants  of  Bathurst,  who  presented  him 
with  a  sword  of  honour,  but  he  modestly  disclaimed 
the  praise  due  to  him.  To  Private  Hodge,  he  said, 
belonged  the  chief  honours  of  the  attack,  and  at  the 
close  of  the  action,  before  the  whole  regiment,  he 
saluted  the  proud  pioneer  as  "  the  bravest  man  in  the 
corps." 

By  a  curious  coincidence  it  was  in  the  same 
9 


X30  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

quarter  of  Africa  that,  twenty-six  years  later,  the 
third  coloured  man  to  be  decorated  won  his  V.C. 
This  was  Corporal  William  James  Gordon,  also  of 
the  West  Indian  Kegiment.  His  act  of  special 
gallantry  was  to  save  his  officer  (Major  Madden) 
from  certain  death  at  the  storming  of  the  town  of 
Toniataba,  on  the  Gambia.  Gordon  thrust  himself 
between  the  major  and  the  enemy's  rifle  barrels  as 
they  were  suddenly  poked  out  of  the  loopholes  at 
the  officer's  back,  receiving  a  bullet  through  his  lungs 
that  went  within  an  ace  of  killing  him. 

The  other  notable  Crosses  of  the  sixties  were 
awarded  for  deeds  of  bravery  that  necessitated  the 
issue  of  an  additional  Eoyal  Warrant  to  cover  deeds 
performed  not  in  action  but  "  under  circumstances  of 
extreme  danger,  such  as  the  occurrence  of  a  fire 
on  board  ship,  or  of  the  foundering  of  a  vessel  at 
sea,  or  under  any  other  circumstances  in  which, 
through  the  courage  and  devotion  displayed,  life  or 
public  property  may  be  saved."  By  this  special 
provision  a  brave  Irishman,  Timothy  O'Hea  by  name, 
a  private  in  the  Kifle  Brigade,  was  awarded  the 
V.C,  together  with  Dr.  Campbell  Douglas,  and  four 
privates  of  the  South  Wales  Borderers,  then  styled 
the  24th  Kegiment. 

O'Hea's  exploit  was  performed  at  a  railway  siding 
between  Quebec  and  Montreal  in  June  1866,  while 
he  was  acting  as  one  of  an  escort  in  charge  of  an 
ammunition  van.  To  everybody's  alarm  a  fire  broke 
out,  enveloping  the  car  in  flames  and  smoke.  Inside 
were  kegs  of  powder  and  cases  of  ammunition,  which, 
did  they  ignite,  would  cause  a  most  terrible  ex- 
plosion. 

While  the    others  hesitated   O'Hea    snatched    the 


IN  THE  SIXTIES.— CHINA,  JAPAN,  ETC.     131 

keys  from  the  sergeant's  hand,  opened  the  door  of 
the  van  and  called  for  volunteers  to  bring  him  water 
and  a  ladder.  The  latter  was  quickly  procured,  and 
standing  on  this  the  plucky  private  emptied  bucket- 
ful after  bucketful  upon  the  burning  wood.  It  was 
a  touch-and-go  business,  as  the  tongues  of  flame 
shot  out  every  now  and  then,  coming  dangerously 
near  to  the  powder  kegs,  but  O'Hea  stuck  to  his 
post  and  he  fought  the  fire  under. 

Though  the  Eifle  Brigade  has  fourteen  Crosses  to 
its  credit,  won  in  the  Crimea,  in  India,  and  in  South 
Africa,  I  rather  fancy  that  not  one  of  them  was 
gained  in  circumstances  of  more  deadly  peril,  and 
his  comrades  were  well  pleased  when  Private  Timothy 
O'Hea's  name  went  to  swell  the  proud  list  of  V.C. 
heroes.  O'Hea,  it  may  be  added,  met  with  a  sad 
fate  in  after  years.  He  was  lost  in  the  Australian 
bush,  and  never  heard  of  again. 

Dr.  Douglas  and  the  four  men  of  the  24th 
Eegiment  referred  to  —  Privates  Murphy,  Cooper, 
Bell,  and  Griffiths — earned  their  distinction  at  the 
Andaman  Islands,  in  the  Bay  of  Bengal,  in  May  of 
1869. 

A  small  expedition  had  been  sent  thither  to 
ascertain  the  fate  of  the  captain  and  crew  of  the 
Assam  Valley,  who,  it  had  been  reported,  had 
fallen  victims  to  the  natives.  The  graves  of  the 
unfortunate  men  were  found  on  the  Little  Andaman, 
but  when  the  search  party  returned  to  the  shore 
they  found  themselves  cut  off  from  their  ship  by  a 
tremendous  high-running  surf. 

Their  predicament  having  been  observed.  Dr. 
Douglas  with  the  four  privates  named  manned  a  gig 
and  pulled   in    to    their    rescue.     The  first  attempt 


132  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

to  get  through  the  breakers  half  swamped  the  boat, 
but  a  second  attempt  enabled  them  to  save  five  men. 
On  the  third  and  last  trip  the  remaining  twelve 
members  of  the  party  were  safely  got  off. 

To  read  the  bare  official  account  of  the  affair  is 
to  gain  but  a  poor  impression  of  the  bravery  displayed 
by  Dr.  Douglas  and  his  helpers.  For  a  proper  under- 
standing of  the  daring  nature  of  the  deed  one  must 
have  seen  the  immense  surf  rollers  thundering  on 
to  the  beach,  and  have  appreciated  the  very  slender 
chances  of  living  through  the  boiling  waters  that  a 
man  would  have  if  capsized  from  a  boat.  It  was 
no  ordinary  rescue,  and  all  five  nobly  earned  their 
Crosses. 


CHAPTER   XVI. 

NEW   ZEALAND. FIGHTING   THE    MAORIS. 

THE  years  1860  to  1865  witnessed  a  very 
stubborn  war  in  New  Zealand  between  the 
British  and  the  Maoris,  the  original  natives  of  the 
country.  Many  causes  combined  to  make  this  war 
unduly  long.  In  the  first  place  the  importance  of 
the  outbreak  was  underestimated,  and  the  small 
force  already  in  the  islands  was  considered  strong 
enough  to  cope  with  it;  secondly,  it  was  forgotten, 
or  overlooked,  that  the  Maoris,  although  incorrigibly 
lazy  in  times  of  peace,  were  a  race  of  born  fighters, 
to  whom  war  was  almost  the  chief  end  of  existence ; 
and  thirdly,  there  was  the  difficult  nature  of  the 
country  itself,  with  its  many  forests  and  swamps, 
and  miles  on  miles  of  dense,  tangled  bush.  The  odds 
were  all  in  the  Maoris'  favour  at  the  outset. 

For  many  years  we  had  been  at  peace  with  the 
natives,  a  treaty  having  been  signed  by  which  we 
bound  ourselves  to  respect  the  chiefs  territorial 
rights.  By  1860,  however,  a  good  deal  of  friction 
had  arisen  over  purchases  of  land  by  the  colonists, 
it  being  claimed  by  the  Maoris  that  some  of  these 
transactions  took  place  without  the  full  consent  of 
all  the  parties  interested. 

Especially  was  this  the  case  in  the  transfer  of  a 

X33 


134  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

piece  of  land  at  Taranaki,  in  the  Northern  Island. 
It  was  only  a  small  plot  that  was  in  dispute,  but 
the  Waikato  tribe  who  claimed  possession  would  not 
be  pacified,  and  made  a  desperate  resistance  when 
an  attempt  was  made  to  oust  them.  Their  success 
in  repulsing  the  few  British  troops  sent  against  them 
incited  the  tribe  and  their  friends  to  proceed  still 
further.  Old  feuds  were  now  revived,  and  the 
insurrection  at  Taranaki  quickly  spread  into  a 
general  movement  against  the  colonists,  which  in  turn 
resolved  itself  into  a  wholesale  rebellion  of  the  Maori 
race. 

In  the  fighting  that  ensued  twelve  Victoria 
Crosses  were  gained,  mostly  for  gallant  rescues  of 
wounded  men  struck  down  in  the  bush  or  in  the 
pahs,  the  native  palisade-fortified  villages.  The 
Maoris  have  always  been  exceptionally  cruel  to  their 
prisoners  in  war,  and  the  knowledge  that  a  fallen 
foe  would  receive  no  mercy  at  their  hands  spurred 
our  soldiers  to  make  every  effort  to  save  a  wounded 
comrade. 

One  of  the  first  Crosses  to  be  won  fell  to  Colour- 
Sergeant  John  Lucas,  of  the  40  th  Eegiment  (the 
South  Lancashires).  Early  in  1861  he  was  fighting 
up  in  the  Taranaki  district,  near  to  the  Huirangi 
Bush.  During  one  afternoon,  while  out  skirmishing, 
he  and  his  party  were  suddenly  subjected  to  a  terribly 
fierce  fire  from  a  hidden  enemy.  Men  began  to  drop 
quickly  as  the  bullets  pinged  across  the  ravine,  and 
Lieutenant  Kees  fell  badly  wounded. 

The  officer  having  been  carried  to  the  rear,  Lucas 
stood  guard  over  the  other  wounded,  towards  whom 
the  Maoris,  breaking  cover  for  the  first  time,  made 
an  ugly  rush.     The  colour-sergeant  had  several  rifles 


FIGHTING  THE  MAORIS  135 

at  hand,  and  adopting  savage  tactics,  he  got  behind 
a  tree,  only  showing  himself  to  neatly  "  pot "  an 
enemy.  It  was  one  man  against  a  hundred ;  but,  like 
Private  McManus  in  "  Dhoolie  Square,"  he  made  himself 
properly  respected  by  the  natives,  and  he  held  his 
position  until  a  reinforcement  arrived  to  relieve  him 
of  his  charge. 

A  more  exciting  experience  fell  to  the  lot  of  a 
sergeant  of  the  York  and  Lancaster  Kegiment  (the 
old  65  th)  two  years  later.  While  in  action  with 
a  large  body  of  Maoris  both  his  superior  officers. 
Captain  Swift  and  Lieutenant  Butler,  were  wounded, 
and  the  duty  of  withdrawing  the  little  force  devolved 
upon  him. 

Sergeant  Edward  McKenna,  who  had  a  strong 
strain  of  Irish  blood  in  him,  showed  himself  the  man 
for  the  occasion.  The  district  was  a  broken  and 
rugged  piece  of  country  near  Camerontown,  and 
swarmed  with  Maoris.  If  he  wished  to  save  his 
officers'  lives  and  the  lives  of  the  whole  detachment,  he 
had  to  act  boldly. 

Accordingly,  leaving  Corporal  Eyan  and  three  or 
four  men  to  protect  the  wounded  captain  and  lieu- 
tenant, and  relying  on  the  main  body  of  the  troops 
soon  finding  them,  he  went  slap-dash  at  the  Maoris 
on  the  hill  in  front  of  him.  The  charge  scattered 
the  natives  to  a  safe  distance.  Then,  night  coming 
on,  McKenna  and  his  party  camped  in  a  convenient 
spot  in  the  bush.  Very  soon,  however,  this  position 
became  unsafe.  So  back  along  the  bush  path  they 
trailed,  firing  at  their  invisible  enemy  as  they  went, 
and  having  some  other  wounded  now  thrown  on  their 
hands. 

Owing  to  the  darkness  and  the  intricacies  of  the 


136  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

bush,  the  sergeant  eventually  lost  his  way,  and,  as  he 
said  afterwards,  there  was  nothing  to  do  but  to  sit 
down  and  wait  for  daylight.  So  all  through  the 
night  they  squatted  on  the  ground,  McKenna  mounting 
guard  with  ears  alert  for  the  faintest  sound  of  an 
enemy ;  but  fortunately  none  came.  And  in  the 
morning  he  had  the  satisfaction  of  leading  his  party 
back  to  camp  to  report  that  only  one  was  killed  and 
two  were  missing  out  of  the  thirty-eight  men  he  had 
manoeuvred  so  skilfully. 

Sergeant  McKenna  received  a  warm  word  of  com- 
mendation in  the  despatches  from  General  Cameron, 
the  Commander-in-Chief,  for  that  piece  of  business, 
together  with  the  Victoria  Cross,  the  same  honour 
falling  to  Corporal  Eyan,  whose  devotion  to  Captain 
Swift,  however,  failed  to  save  that  gallant  officer's 
life.  Several  of  the  others  who  figured  prominently 
in  the  affair  were  rewarded  with  the  Distinguished 
Conduct  Medal. 

Two  very  brilliant  individual  exploits  that  I  may 
note  here  won  the  V.C.  for  Major  C.  Heaphy  of  the 
Auckland  Militia,  and  Lieutenant-Colonel  (afterwards 
Major-General  Sir)  John  Carstairs  McNeill,  of  the 
107th  Kegiment. 

Major  Heaphy  was  engaged  in  a  skirmish  with 
Maoris  on  the  banks  of  the  Mangapiko  Eiver,  Auckland, 
when  a  wounded  private  tumbled  into  the  midst  of  a 
party  of  natives  concealed  in  a  hollow.  Without  a 
moment's  hesitation  the  major  leaped  down  after  him. 
Though  wounded  himself,  with  a  dozen  shot-holes  in 
his  clothes  and  cap,  he  stuck  by  his  man,  and  in  time 
got  him  safely  away. 

The  story  of  Colonel  McNeill's  rescue  is  the  story 
of  a  ride  for  life  which   finds  a  close  parallel  in  the 


REINING   IN   HIS   HORSE,    HE   TURNED   TO   CATCH   VOSPER  S 
AND    HELPED   THE   ORDERLY   TO    REMOUNT. — Page   137. 


FIGHTING  THE  MAORIS  137 

deed  for  which  Lord  William  Beresford  gained  the 
V.C.  in  Zululand,  as  will  be  told  hereafter.  The 
colonel  was  returning  from  Te  Awamuta,  whither  he 
had  been  sent  on  special  duty,  with  two  orderlies, 
Privates  Gibson  and  Vosper,  both  of  the  Colonial 
Defence  Force,  when  a  body  of  the  enemy  was  descried 
some  distance  ahead.  Despatching  Gibson  to  the 
nearest  camp  (at  Ohanpu)  for  assistance,  he  rode  a 
little  way  up  the  road  to  the  summit  of  a  hill  to 
reconnoitre. 

As  McNeill,  with  Vosper  by  his  side,  trotted  on, 
unsuspecting  any  ambush,  keen  eyes  watched  them 
from  the  thick  ferns  that  bordered  the  road,  and 
presently  some  fifty  Maoris  sprang  out  to  intercept 
them.  The  moment  the  natives  appeared  the  two 
horsemen  wheeled  and  galloped  back  down  the  hill. 
They  got  a  flying  start,  but  an  unlucky  step  into  a 
hole  brought  Vosper's  horse  to  his  knees,  sending  his 
rider  head  over  heels  into  the  ferns. 

Then  the  colonel  did  a  plucky  thing.  Keining  in 
his  horse,  he  turned  to  catch  Vosper's,  which  was 
galloping  in  the  opposite  direction,  and  leading  it 
back  helped  the  orderly  to  remount.  He  was  just  in 
the  nick  of  time.  A  few  seconds  later,  and  the  Maoris 
would  have  been  on  them.  As  it  was,  only  a  mad 
gallop  at  top  speed  carried  them  clear  out  of  range  of 
the  bullets  that  whistled  round  them. 

Vosper  spoke  nothing  but  the  plain  truth  when  he 
said  that  he  owed  his  life  entirely  to  his  colonel ;  for 
he  could  not  have  caught  his  horse,  on  foot  as  he  was, 
and  the  Maoris  would  have  made  short  work  of  him. 

The  New  Zealand  War  was  brought  to  a  close  in 
1864  by  General  Sir  Trevor  Chute,  who  broke  the 
Maori  power  and  stamped  out  the  rebellion.     Four  or 


138  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

five  years  later  there  were  renewed  disturbances, 
massacres  of  settlers  and  raids  upon  outlying  farms, 
but  these  were  isolated  cases.  Since  1870  the 
natives  have  been  content  to  live  peaceably  under  the 
British  rule. 

In  1864,  a  few  months  before  the  Maori  chiefs 
gave  in  their  submission,  a  memorable  fight  took  place 
near  Tauranga,  Auckland,  memorable  for  the  disgrace 
which  it  brought  upon  a  British  regiment,  and  for  the 
act  of  heroism  which  gained  the  V.C.  for  an  Army 
surgeon  and  a  bluejacket.  The  story  of  it  is  as 
follows. 

On  the  peninsula  of  Te  Papa,  in  the  Poverty  Bay 
district  of  East  Auckland,  the  Maoris  had  entrenched 
themselves  in  a  very  strong  position.  They  had  built 
a  long  stockade  along  the  narrow  strip  of  land  con- 
necting the  peninsula  with  the  coast,  at  Tauranga, 
with  rifle-pits  extending  almost  the  whole  length. 
This  formidable  fort  was  known  as  the  Gate  Pah, 
because  it  commanded  the  entrance  to  that  region. 

The  natives  chose  the  place  for  their  stronghold 
wisely.  The  Gate  Pah  was  guarded  by  great  swamps 
on  both  sides,  which  rendered  a  flank  attack  impos- 
sible. The  assault  must  come  either  from  the  front  or 
rear.  Fully  alive  to  the  difficulties  of  the  task, 
General  Cameron  proceeded  to  attack  this  position  on 
April  28  th  with  a  force  of  infantry  (the  68  th  and 
43rd  Regiments)  and  two  hundred  seamen  from  the 
warships  off  the  coast. 

While  some  of  the  Naval  Brigade  and  the  68  th 
Regiment  (the  Durham  Light  Infantry)  stole  round  at 
night  to  the  rear  of  the  stockade,  the  artillery  the 
next  morning  opened  fire  in  front,  pouring  shot  and 
shell  unceasingly  for  eight  and  a  half  hours  into  the 


FIGHTING  THE  MAORIS  139 

pah.  The  Maoris  responded  at  first  with  a  brisk  rifle- 
fire,  but  after  a  time  this  stopped.  Dead  silence 
reigned  over  the  stockade,  as  if  most  of  its  inmates 
had  been  killed.  Believing  this  to  be  the  case,  the 
43rd  Foot  (the  Oxfordshire  Light  Infantry,  known 
popularly  as  "  the  Light  Bobs "  and  "  the  Fighting 
Forty-third  ")  moved  forward  with  a  number  of  blue- 
jackets to  carry  the  place  by  storm. 

That  the  fight  was  practically  over  seemed  evident 
from  the  ease  with  which  the  troops  drove  out  the  few 
Maoris  remaining  in  the  pah.  But  the  wily  natives 
had  laid  a  subtle  ambush,  to  the  success  of  which 
a  regrettable  accident  contributed.  As  the  Oxford- 
shires  and  the  naval  men  followed  up  the  pursuit  in 
the  gathering  darkness,  the  detachment  sent  previously 
to  the  rear  began  firing  into  the  medley  of  Maoris  and 
British.  Considerable  confusion  was  caused,  and  both 
the  43  rd  and  the  sailors  were  ordered  to  retire. 

This  was  done  promptly,  the  troops  regaining  the 
shelter  of  the  stockade.  Here  they  had  no  fear  of 
danger,  for  the  place  was  apparently  deserted,  and 
only  the  fugitive  Maoris,  who  had  rallied,  menaced 
them.  They  wandered  about  the  pah  in  careless 
disorder,  some  even  laying  aside  their  rifles,  when 
suddenly  from  the  ground  beneath  them  a  whole  host 
of  native  warriors  appeared,  rising  like  apparitions  in 
their  midst.  In  cunningly  concealed  holes  and  rifle- 
pits,  covered  over  with  branches  and  pieces  of  turf, 
the  Maoris  had  awaited  the  coming  of  the  fokehas. 

Before  this  mysterious  ghostly  enemy,  who  fell  upon 
them  with  rifle  and  war-club,  the  soldiers  and  sailors 
fled  in  wild  confusion.  A  perfect  panic  set  in,  and 
every  man  sought  to  save  his  own  skin. 

It  is  difficult  to  locate  the  blame  in  instances  of 


I40  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

this  kind.  British  troops  and  British  officers  have 
been  seized  with  panic  before  under  the  stress  of 
great  excitement,  and  the  same  thing  will  probably 
happen  again.  Human  courage  is,  after  all,  an  un- 
certain quantity ;  an  admittedly  brave  man  has  more 
than  once  failed  at  a  critical  moment  through  lack 
of  nerve  or  some  less  explicable  reason  and  turned 
coward.  Was  there  not  the  well-known  case  of  a 
lieutenant-colonel  (his  name  is  charitably  concealed) 
in  the  Indian  Mutiny,  whose  conduct  Sir  Colin 
Campbell  characterised  in  a  vigorous  despatch  as 
"  pusillanimous  and  imbecile  to  the  last  degree," 
before  dismissing  him  from  the  service  ?  This  officer 
had  a  distinguished  record,  but  a  momentary  weakness 
led  him  to  surrender  an  important  position  without 
cause  and  blasted  his  whole  career. 

In  the  panic  that  set  in  when  the  hideous  tattooed 
faces  of  the  Maoris  rose  up  so  uncannily  from  the 
depths  of  the  earth  the  slaughter  of  our  men  was 
terrific.  Officers  and  privates  aUke  fell  easy  victims 
to  the  well-armed  natives.  Then  it  was  that  Assistant- 
Surgeon  William  G.  K  Manley,  RA.,  and  Samuel 
Mitchell,  captain  of  the  foretop  of  H.M.S.  Harrier, 
won  glory  for  themselves  by  a  gallant  rescue. 

Commander  Hay,  of  the  Naval  Brigade,  fell  badly 
wounded  at  the  first  discharge,  and  lay  groaning  in 
the  middle  of  the  pah.  All  were  in  full  flight,  but 
seeing  his  officer  helpless  on  the  ground  Mitchell  ran 
to  his  side,  picked  him  up  in  his  strong  arms  and  bore 
him  outside  the  stockade.  Here  he  found  Dr.  Manley, 
who  oblivious  to  the  bullets  that  fell  thickly  around, 
bound  up  the  commander's  wounds.  That  done,  he 
and  Mitchell  conveyed  the  dying  man  back  to  camp. 

Not  content  with  having  done  that  duty,  the  brave 


FIGHTING  THE  MAORIS  141 

surgeon  returned  voluntarily  to  the  pah  and  coolly 
set  about  tending  the  wounded.  They  lay  there  in 
heaps,  alas  !  and  he  had  all  his  work  to  do  to  get  them 
removed  to  a  place  of  safety.  The  fire  which  swept 
the  stockade  is  said  to  have  been  terrible,  yet  not  a 
scratch  did  he  receive  the  whole  time,  and  he  was  the 
last  to  leave  the  pah.  Both  Dr.  Manley  and  Mitchell 
were  awarded  the  Cross  for  Valour  some  months  later, 
for  the  heroism  that  in  part  redeemed  the  Gate  Pah 
disaster. 

As  for  the  Fighting  Forty-third,  whose  colours  bore 
the  names  of  Corunna,  Badajoz,  Vittoria,  and  many 
another  famous  fight  of  the  Peninsular  War,  the 
memory  of  that  night  of  panic  rankled  deep  in  their 
minds.  They  swore  a  solemn  vow  that  the  next  time 
they  came  to  grips  with  the  Maoris  the  enemy  should 
remember  it.  It  was  at  Tuaranga  that  they  got  their 
chance,  on  June  21st  of  the  same  year,  and  on  this 
day  one  of  their  officers.  Captain  Frederick  Augustus 
Smith,  won  the  Cross  for  leaping  into  a  rifle-pit  and 
routing  a  number  of  the  Maoris  single-handed. 

This  made  the  second  V.C.  that  the  43rd  won,  by  the 
way,  the  first  having  been  given  in  1859  to  Private 
Addison  for  saving  the  life  of  an  officer  in  India. 


CHAPTER   XVII 

IN   ASHANTI    BUSH    AND    MALAY    JUNGLE. 

IT  is  a  big  leap  from  Maoriland  to  West  Africa,  but 
it  is  there,  to  Ashanti,  that  we  must  go  to  see 
how  the  next  Crosses  on  the  roll  were  won. 

Ashanti,  as  the  map  shows,  is  in  the  Upper  Guinea 
district,  immediately  inland  of  the  Gold  Coast. 
Seventy  thousand  square  miles  in  extent,  it  is  thickly 
covered  with  forests  of  mahogany,  ebony,  and  other 
valuable  hardwood  trees,  except  where  it  is  given  up 
to  vast  mangrove  swamps  that  are  no  good  to  any- 
body. Its  people  are  pure  negroes,  thick-lipped,  flat- 
nosed,  with  woolly  hair  and  projecting  jaws.  They  are 
a  savage,  cruel  race,  fetish-worshippers  like  most  of 
the  tribes  in  West  Africa,  who  have  been  notorious 
for  the  revolting  form  of  their  religious  rites. 

Until  the  custom  of  making  human  sacrifices  was 
put  down  with  a  strong  hand  by  Great  Britain, 
Coomassie,  the  capital,  was  as  much  a  City  of  Blood  as 
was  the  ill -famed  Benin,  a  very  different  place  from 
the  town  of  to-day,  with  its  wide,  regular  streets  and 
stuccoed  houses  painted  red  and  white. 

With  this  country  of  Ashanti  we  have  come  re- 
peatedly into  conflict  from  the  early  days  of  last 
century,  when  trading  stations  became  established  on 
the  coast.     The  Dutch,  too,  found  their  way  thither 

14a 


IN  ASHANTI  BUSH  AND  MALAY  JUNGLE     143 

with  the  same  object  in  view,  and  out  of  the  rivalry 
between  them  and  us  trouble  arose  that  came  to  a 
head  in  1872.  In  that  year  the  Dutch  traders  who 
had  established  themselves  on  the  Gold  Coast  were 
bought  out  by  us,  their  possessions  being  transferred 
to  this  country  in  return  for  some  land  concessions 
in  the  island  of  Sumatra.  To  this  arrangement  King 
Coffee  of  Ashanti  took  exception,  as  he  lost  thereby 
certain  annual  tributes  which  the  Dutch  had  hitherto 
paid  him,  and  by  way  of  showing  his  resentment  he 
carried  off  several  missionaries  and  attacked  our  allies 
the  Fantis. 

It  was  necessary  to  bring  King  Coffee  and  his 
turbulent  subjects  to  reason,  so  in  September  1873 
Sir  Garnet  Wolseley  was  sent  out  to  Ashanti  with 
an  expedition.  The  task  was  no  easy  one,  for  before 
Coomassie  was  reached  the  troops  had  to  fight  their 
way  through  the  bush,  and  the  African  bush  is  not 
to  be  treated  lightly,  with  its  tangled  masses  of 
vegetation,  dark  belts  of  forest,  rivers  and  morasses. 
Moreover,  the  campaign  had  to  be  completed  before 
the  hot  season  came  on,  when  the  terrors  of  pestilence 
and  fever  would  have  to  be  faced. 

That  Sir  Garnet  Wolseley  did  accomplish  the  task 
set  him  is  a  matter  of  history.  By  February  of  the 
following  year  King  Coffee  was  forced  to  make  peace, 
one  of  the  terms  being  that  he  should  discontinue 
human  sacrifices. 

In  this  five  months'  campaign  four  Victoria  Crosses 
were  won,  and  of  these  the  first  two  fell  to  Lieutenant 
the  Hon.  Edric  Gifford  (the  present  Lord  Gifford)  and 
Lance-Sergeant  Samuel  McGaw  of  the  42nd  Kegiment. 
The  latter  earned  his  distinction  at  the  battle  of 
Amoaful,  the  first  victory  of  any  consequence,  when 


144  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

the    Ashantis   were    completely   routed.       At    that ' 
engagement  McGaw  led    his    company   through    the 
dense   bush  in   splendid    style,    himself    fighting    all 
through  the  day,  although  suffering  from  a  very  severe 
wound  received  at  the  commencement  of  the  battle. 

Lord  Gifford's  Cross  was  won  for  a  long  series  of 
useful  services  rendered  to  his  commander,  though 
more  particularly  for  his  exceptional  bravery  at  the 
taking  of  the  town  of  Becquah  on  February  1st,  1874. 
At  the  beginning  of  the  campaign  (his  first  taste  of 
active  service,  by  the  way)  he  organised  a  body  of 
scouts,  loyal  natives  who  knew  the  country  well  and 
could  be  relied  on.  With  this  little  band  he  ranged 
ahead  of  the  army,  hanging  upon  the  enemy's  skirts, 
so  to  speak,  and  ferreting  out  their  intentions  by 
means  of  his  spies.  It  was  dangerous,  highly 
dangerous,  work,  for  it  meant  thrusting  himself  almost 
into  the  very  arms  of  a  foe  who  showed  no  mercy  in 
war. 

"  It  is  no  exaggeration,"  says  the  official  account, 
"  to  say  that  since  the  Adansi  Hills  were  passed  he 
daily  carried  his  life  in  his  hands  in  the  performance 
of  his  most  hazardous  duty."  With  no  other  white 
man  by  him,  Lieutenant  Gifford  captured  many 
prisoners,  and  the  information  he  was  able  to  procure 
for  his  chief  was  naturally  of  the  utmost  value. 

If  he  carried  his  life  in  his  hand  while  out  scouting 
there  is  no  doubt  that  he  did  the  same  at  the  taking 
of  Becquah.  Gifford  and  his  scouts  were  through 
the  stockade  and  into  the  town  some  time  before  the 
troops  stormed  it,  and  were  in  the  thick  of  the 
fighting  throughout.  Of  that  day's  work,  as  well 
as  of  the  scouting  in  the  bush.  Sir  Garnet  took  full 
note   when   sending   his  despatches,  and   the  young 


IN  ASHANTI  BUSH  AND  MALAY  JUNGLE     145 

lieutenant  of  the  South  Wales  Borderers  saw  himself 
duly  gazetted. 

Major  Eeginald  Sartorius  (now  a  Major-General) 
is  another  V.C.  man  who  gained  his  decoration  in 
far-off  Ashanti.  At  the  attack  on  Abogoo  he  bravely 
risked  his  life  to  save  a  wounded  Haussa  sergeant- 
major  who  had  fallen  under  a  heavy  fire ;  and  he  is 
also  famous  for  a  most  plucky  ride  through  the 
heart  of  the  enemy's  country  to  establish  connection 
between  the  main  body  and  Captain  Glover's  column. 

The  name  of  Sartorius,  it  may  be  mentioned,  is 
like  that  of  Gough  in  figuring  twice  in  the  honoured 
list  of  V.C.'s,  and  in  each  case  it  is  two  brothers  who 
have  thus  won  double  distinction.  Major-General 
Euston  Henry  Sartorius  received  his  Cross  for  an 
exploit  in  Afghanistan,  mention  of  which  will  be  found 
in  the  next  chapter. 

Next  on  my  list  of  Ashanti  heroes  comes  Colonel 
Mark  Sever  Bell,  a  distinguished  Engineer  officer  of 
many  campaigns.  The  battle  at  Ordahsu  in  January 
of  1874  saw  him  in  the  very  forefront  of  the  British 
line  alone  with  a  working  gang  of  Fantis,  digging  a 
trench.  A  severe  fire  from  both  front  and  rear 
played  upon  them,  and — what  is  said  to  be  an  almost 
unparalleled  incident  in  warfare — they  were  not 
protected  by  a  covering  party. 

The  Fantis,  to  whose  qualities  Miss  Kingsley  has 
paid  high  tribute,  are  not  warriors  of  the  first  order, 
however  faithful  they  may  be  as  servants ;  and  that 
Lieutenant  Bell  (to  give  him  the  rank  he  then  bore) 
got  them  to  work  in  such  circumstances  was  due 
solely  to  his  fearless  and  courageous  bearing.  When 
he  came  in  from  the  trench  it  was  to  receive  the 
generous  compliments  of  his  chief,  Colonel  Sir  John 
10 


146  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

McLeod,  who  had  considered  his  chances  of  getting 
back  alive  extremely  slight.  The  V.C.  followed  at 
the  latter  officer's  recommendation. 

Although  it  is  not  strictly  in  chronological  order, 
I  may  note  here  that  in  1900  there  was  again  trouble 
in  Ashanti,  which  resulted  in  two  more  V.C.'s  being 
won.  Of  these  one  went  to  Captain  Melliss,  of  the 
Indian  Staff  Corps,  and  the  other  to  Sergeant  (now 
Captain)  John  Mackenzie,  of  the  Seaforths. 

Mackenzie's  gallantry  was  most  marked.  At  the 
attack  on  Dompoassi  in  June  he  found  the  fight 
progressing  too  slowly  for  him.  He  had  been  work- 
ing two  Maxim  guns  under  a  hot  fire  (being  wounded 
while  doing  so),  but  the  enemy  held  their  position  as 
obstinately  as  ever.  So  to  "finish  the  business"  the 
sergeant  volunteered  to  clear  the  stockades,  and  at 
the  head  of  a  body  of  Haussas  he  charged  boldly 
upon  them.  The  blacks  followed  his  lead  with 
spirit;  before  their  headlong  rush  the  Ashantis  fled 
into  the  bush,  and  shortly  after  Dompoassi  was  ours. 

Just  a  year  after  the  Ashanti  trouble  there  was  an 
outbreak  in  the  Malay  Peninsula  which  called  for  a 
punitive  expedition.  The  little  brown  men  of  Perak, 
own  brothers  to  the  head-hunting  Dyaks  of  Borneo, 
had  to  be  taught  the  lesson  that  Great  Britain  will 
not  tolerate  outrages  upon  her  subjects. 

With  the  column  that  marched  up  through  the 
jungle  upon  the  Malay  strongholds  was  Major 
George  Nicholas  Channer,  of  the  Bengal  Staff  Corps, 
who  had  joined  the  Indian  Army  just  too  late  to 
take  part  in  the  suppression  of  the  Mutiny,  but  in 
time  to  see  service  in  the  Umbeyla  campaign  of 
1863.     Both  here  and  in  the  Looshai  country  a  few 


IN  ASHANTI  BUSH  AND  MALAY  JUNGLE     147 

years  later  he  showed  himself  a  dashing  leader  of 
native  troops,  and  the  1st  Ghurkas  were  by  no  means 
ill-pleased  when  they  learned  that  he  was  attached 
to  them  for  the  Perak  expedition.  Major  Channer, 
for  his  part,  was  glad  of  the  chance  of  seeing 
another  fight,  though  he  little  guessed  that  it  was  to 
afford  him  an  opportunity  of  winning  the  V.C.  and 
covering  himself  with  glory.  Yet  such  proved  to  be 
the  case. 

On  its  way  northwards  the  force  eventually  reached 
the  Bukit  Putus  Pass,  the  most  difficult  part  of  the 
journey  to  be  traversed.  All  around  was  dense 
jungle  and  impenetrable  forest,  in  which  a  host  of 
Malays  lay  in  wait  to  harass  the  troops.  How 
numerous  were  the  enemy  could  not  be  ascertained, 
nor  how  strong  were  their  defences,  and  it  was 
important  that  information  on  these  points  should 
be  obtained  or  the  column  might  blunder  into  an 
ambush.  Major  Channer  was  selected  as  the  officer 
best  fitted  to  procure  this  intelligence,  and  with  a 
small  party  of  his  wiry  little  Ghurkas  he  struck 
off  one  day  into  the  wilds. 

Making  a  long  detour,  he  worked  his  way  round  to 
the  rear  of  the  enemy's  position  without  any  mishap. 
Here  he  found  that  the  Malays  were  strongly  posted 
in  a  solid  log-fort,  loopholed  on  every  side  and 
surrounded  by  a  formidable  bamboo  palisade.  As  he 
peered  at  it  through  the  trees  a  number  of  black 
forms  flitted  busily  to  and  fro,  showing  that  the  fort 
was  well  garrisoned. 

Channer  had  learned  enough  to  see  that  the  troops 
would  have  considerable  difficulty  in  carrying  the 
position,  and  might  well  have  returned  to  make  his 
report.     But  he  was  not  content  with  merely  having 


148  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

done  so  much.  He  determined  to  make  a  closer 
inspection  to  discover,  if  possible,  where  was  the 
weakest  spot  in  the  defences. 

At  night,  therefore,  leaving  his  men  hidden  within 
call  in  the  jungle,  he  crept  stealthily  up  through  the 
long  grass  to  the  outer  stockade.  All  was  still,  for 
the  Malays  had  mounted  no  guard  on  that  side  of  the 
fort.  Kaising  himself  cautiously  to  his  knees,  he 
peeped  between  the  bamboo  poles  and  saw  that  the 
garrison  was  all  intent  on  cooking  its  supper.  At 
once  a  daring  idea  came  into  his  head.  Quickly 
dropping  back  into  the  long  grass,  the  major 
wormed  his  way  towards  the  spot  where  his  faithful 
Ghurkas  were  waiting  and  beckoned  them  to  join 
him.  Then  he  explained  that  he  intended  to  take 
the  Malays  by  surprise  and  rush  the  fort. 

The  Ghurkas  were  gleefully  ready  for  a  job  like 
this,  and  at  the  word  followed  him  noiselessly  to  the 
point  in  the  palisade  whence  he  had  observed  the 
unsuspecting  Malays.  A  quick  scramble  over  and 
the  whole  party  were  inside.  The  first  man  who 
offered  resistance  Major  Channer  shot  dead  with  his 
revolver.  The  rest  stood  aghast  at  the  unexpected 
spectacle  of  a  white  officer  in  their  midst,  and  before 
they  could  recover  from  their  astonishment  the 
Ghurkas  in  their  neat  green  uniforms  and  little  round 
caps  were  among  them,  using  their  keen  kuhris  with 
deadly  effect.  The  surprise  was  complete.  The 
Malays,  ignorant  of  the  numbers  of  their  assailants, 
abandoned  the  fort  and  fled  precipitately  into  the 
jungle. 

A  message  to  the  main  body  soon  brought  up  the 
troops,  when  the  fort  was  destroyed,  leaving  the  way 
clear  for  the  march  to  be  continued.     But  for  Major 


IN  ASHANTI  BUSH  AND  MALAY  JUNGLE     149 

Channel's  bold  attack  the  fort  would  have  had  to 
be  carried  by  a  bayonet  charge,  as  it  was  secure  from 
the  big  guns,  and  much  loss  of  life  must  have  been 
caused.  His  act,  therefore,  was  one  of  the  greatest 
service  to  the  expedition. 

The  gallant  major,  who  got  his  Cross  a  few  months 
later,  afterwards  served  with  considerable  distinction 
under  Lord  Eoberts  in  Afghanistan,  and  commanded 
a  brigade  in  the  Black  Mountain  (Hazara)  expedition 
of  1888.  He  died  at  his  home  in  North  Devon  only 
at  the  end  of  last  year,  a  General  and  a  C.B. 


CHAPTEK  XVIII. 

HOW    SOME   AFGHAN    CROSSES    WERE    WON. 

THE  war  which  broke  out  in  Afghanistan  in  1878 
and  lasted  two  years  was  of  a  far  more  serious 
nature  than  the  campaign  in  Ashanti  which  I  have 
just  dealt  with.  It  was  at  bottom  a  struggle  to  assert 
our  supremacy  on  the  Indian  frontier,  where  Eussia 
was  beginning  to  menace  us,  and  on  its  result  hung 
the  fortunes  of  a  large  part  of  Asia.  Before  I  tell 
of  how  several  notable  V.C.'s  were  gained  in  the 
hill-fighting  round  Candahar  and  Cabul  it  is  necessary 
to  say  a  few  words  about  the  war  itself,  in  order  that 
we  may  properly  understand  the  situation. 

Trouble  over  Afghanistan  began  very  early  in  the 
nineteenth  century,  but  Great  Britain  maintained  a 
firm  hold  over  the  country  and  its  Amir  until  the 
advent  to  the  throne  of  Shere  Ali  Khan.  This 
turbulent  ruler  was  a  very  go-ahead  monarch  indeed. 
He  organised  a  splendid  army,  well-drilled  and  well- 
equipped  with  modern  arms,  and  spent  some  years 
in  military  preparations  which  could  have  had  only 
one  object — the  ultimate  overthrow  of  British  influence 
in  that  part  of  the  world. 

That  Eussia  and  Eussian  money  was  behind  all  this 
has  been  made  very  clear.  The  go-ahead  Shere  Ali 
went  ahead    so  far    that   he    made  overtures  to  the 


SOME  AFGHAN  CROSSES  151 

Muscovite  Government  and  received  a  Eussian  mission 
at  Cabul.  When  Lord  Eoberts  reached  the  capital 
after  his  victorious  march  he  found,  he  says,  "  Afghan 
Sirdars  and  officers  arrayed  in  Eussian  pattern  uni- 
forms, Eussian  money  in  the  treasury,  Eussian  wares 
sold  in  the  bazaars ;  and,  although  the  roads  lead- 
ing to  Central  Asia  were  certainly  no  better  than 
those  leading  to  India,  Eussia  had  taken  more 
advantage  of  them  than  we  had  to  carry  on  com- 
mercial dealings  with  Afghanistan." 

Our  first  move  was  to  establish  a  British  mission 
at  Cabul,  but  this  met  with  failure.  Then  Shere  Ali, 
after  abdicating  in  favour  of  his  son,  Yakoub  Khan, 
conveniently  died,  and  our  prospects  improved.  A 
mission,  at  the  head  of  which  was  Sir  Louis  Cavagnari, 
was  received  at  the  capital,  and  all  seemed  to  be  going 
well  when  the  civilised  world  was  startled  by  the 
news  that  Cavagnari  and  all  with  him  had  been 
massacred. 

Without  any  loss  of  time,  Lord  Eoberts  (then 
Major-General  Frederick  Sleigh  Eoberts)  started  from 
India  with  an  army  to  avenge  this  atrocity.  After 
some  stiff  fighting,  he  reached  Cabul  and  deposed  the 
Amir.  There  were  left,  however,  a  number  of  minor 
chiefs  who  continued  to  stir  up  trouble.  Of  these  the 
leading  spirit  was  the  ex-Amir's  brother,  Ayoub  Khan, 
who  inflicted  a  defeat  upon  us  at  the  battle  of 
Maiwand  and  proceeded  to  invest  Candahar. 

Upon  this  followed  Eoberts'  historic  march  from 
Cabul  to  Candahar  which  won  him  a  baronetcy  and 
a  G.C.B.  In  this  descent  upon  Ayoub  Khan  he 
utterly  routed  the  Afghan  leader  and  quieted  the 
country.  A  new  Amir,  Abdur  Eahman  (nephew  of 
Shere   Ali)   was    now    installed,   with    the    necessary 


152  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

proviso  that  Afghanistan  should  have  no  foreign 
relations  with  any  power  except  the  Government  of 
India,  and  the  British  army  was  withdrawn. 

The  first  V.C.  of  the  campaign  was  gained  by 
Captain  John  Cook,  of  the  Bengal  Staff  Corps,  for  a 
singularly  gallant  rescue  of  a  brother-officer.  It  was 
during  the  month  of  December  1878,  while  General 
Eoberts  was  on  his  way  to  Cabul,  whither  he  was 
escorting  Cavagnari's  mission.  There  had  been 
several  encounters  with  the  Afghans,  for  the  latter 
had  shown  themselves  hostile  all  along  the  line 
of  route,  and  a  decisive  engagement  was  fought  at 
the  Peiwar  Kotal,  in  the  Kuram  district.  (A  "  kotal," 
it  may  be  explained,  is  the  highest  point  in  a  mountain 
pass.) 

At  this  fight  a  slender  column  was  detached  from 
the  main  body  and  sent  round  to  force  a  position  in 
the  Spingawi  Kotal,  where  the  enemy  had  entrenched 
themselves.  The  attack  was  made  at  night,  and 
although,  through  the  treachery  of  some  Pathans  with 
the  column,  the  alarm  was  given,  the  Afghans  were 
driven  out. 

Side  by  side  Highlanders  and  Ghurkas,  who  had 
been  good  friends  ever  since  they  fought  together  in 
the  Mutiny,  charged  up  the  steep  rocky  hillside, 
through  a  forest  of  pines,  and  carried  one  stockade 
after  another.  As  the  enemy  broke  before  them, 
Major  Galbraith,  Assistant-Adjutant-General  to  the 
force,  was  suddenly  attacked  by  a  powerful  Afghan. 
The  major's  revolver  missed  fire  when  he  aimed,  and 
it  is  more  than  probable  that  he  would  have  been 
shot  down  at  once  had  not  Captain  Cook  rushed  to 
his  rescue. 


SOME  AFGHAN  CROSSES  153 

A  blow  from  his  sword  having  diverted  the 
Afghan's  attention,  Cook  threw  himself  bodily  upon 
the  man  and  closed  with  him.  They  struggled  to- 
gether thus  for  some  little  time,  locked  in  a  deadly 
embrace,  the  Afghan  endeavouring  vainly  to  use  his 
bayonet  and  the  captain  his  sword.  Then,  gripping  his 
opponent  by  the  throat,  Cook  fell  with  him  to  the 
ground,  only  to  have  his  sword-arm  seized  by  the 
Afghan's  strong  teeth.  Another  roll  over  gave  the 
latter  a  slight  advantage,  but  only  for  a  moment. 
At  this  critical  juncture  a  little  Ghurka  ran  up  and 
shot  the  fellow  through  the  head. 

Captain  Cook  was  decorated  for  this  exploit  on  the 
Queen's  Birthday  in  the  May  following,  at  a  grand 
parade  at  Kuram,  but  he  did  not  live  long  to  wear 
his  Cross.  He  died  of  a  severe  wound  twelve 
months  later. 

In  March  of  1879  a  gallant  little  action  was 
fought  near  Maidanah  of  which  scant  mention  is  made 
outside  official  records.  It  may  be  fittingly  recorded 
here,  as  it  was  the  means  of  bringing  distinction  to  a 
young  captain  of  Engineers  who  now  writes  himself 
Lieut. -General  Edward  Pemberton  Leach,  V.C.,  C.B. 

Leach  was  out  on  survey  duty  in  the  Maidanah 
district  with  an  escort  of  Eattray's  Sikhs  under  the 
command  of  Lieutenant  Barclay.  While  thus  engaged 
a  body  of  Afghans  appeared  in  close  proximity  and 
endeavoured  to  cut  them  off.  The  Sikhs  having 
fallen  slowly  back,  under  orders,  the  Afghans  became 
more  bold,  and  in  still  larger  numbers  pressed  nearer. 
Then  there  was  a  sudden  rush,  a  volley,  and  Lieu- 
tenant Barclay  fell  shot  in  the  breast. 

To  get  the  wounded  officer  back  to  camp  in  safety 
was   Leach's  first    thought.      The  Afghans  must    be 


154  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

kept  at  a  safe  distance.  With  all  the  Sikhs,  there- 
fore, save  the  two  or  three  needed  to  attend  to 
Barclay,  he  formed  up  and  charged  with  bayonets 
fixed  straight  into  the  oncoming  enemy. 

They  were  a  score  or  so  against  a  hundred,  but 
desperate  men  take  desperate  risks.  Leach  himself 
was  immediately  attacked  by  four  Afghans,  two  of 
whom  he  shot  in  quick  succession.  The  third 
grappled  with  him,  but  another  shot  from  the  un- 
erring revolver  settled  him,  and  the  captain  turned 
to  meet  his  fourth  assailant.  He  was  not  a  moment 
too  soon.  The  Afghan  had  slipped  round  to  attack 
him  from  the  rear,  and  as  Leach's  left  arm  went  up 
in  defence  it  received  on  it  the  blow  from  an  Afghan 
knife  that  was  aimed  at  his  back. 

A  slash  from  his  sword  laid  the  Pathan  low.  Then 
wounded  as  he  was,  with  blood  streaming  fast  from 
his  arm,  the  captain  dashed  on  into  the  melee,  and 
gathering  his  men  together  for  another  fierce  charge 
sent  the  enemy  tumbling  backwards  in  confusion. 
But  the  little  company  was  not  even  then  out  of 
danger.  The  retreat  led  them  along  a  narrow  rocky 
road,  from  the  sides  of  which  the  Afghans  continued 
to  pepper  them,  and  a  last  charge  was  necessary  to 
scatter  them.  Fortunately,  just  after  this  a  cavalry 
troop,  attracted  by  the  noise  of  firing,  came  up  and 
relieved  them. 

Captain  Leach  was  promptly  awarded  the  Cross  for 
Valour  for  his  bravery,  but  though  he  had  succeeded 
in  saving  the  party  from  certain  annihilation,  his 
satisfaction  was  clouded  over  by  one  great  sorrow. 
Poor  Lieutenant  Barclay  died  soon  afterwards  from 
his  wound. 

The  next  V.C,  the  story  of  which  I  have  to  tell, 


SOME  AFGHAN  CROSSES  155 

is  that  of  Lieutenant  Hamilton, — "Hamilton  of  the 
Guides," — whose  brilliant  career  was  cut  all  too  short 
at  Cabul  in  the  massacre  of  Cavagnari's  ill-fated 
mission.  Having  joined  Brigadier-General  Gough's 
force,  which  was  keeping  clear  the  line  of  communication 
between  Jellalabad  and  Cabul,  Lieutenant  Hamilton 
saw  plenty  of  fighting  with  the  hill-tribes  in  the 
vicinity.  At  Futtehabad,  in  April  1879,  there  was 
an  engagement  with  a  considerable  body  of  Afghans, 
and  in  this  fight  he  made  himself  conspicuous. 

At  the  moment  that  the  scale  of  victory  was 
turning  in  our  favour,  the  Guides,  led  by  their  beloved 
commander.  Major  Wigram  Battye,  charged  into  the 
Afghan  ranks.  Battye  fell  shot  through  the  heart  at 
the  first  volley,  and  the  leadership  devolved  on 
Hamilton,  who  led  them  on,  more  fierce  than  ever. 
In  the  mel^e  that  now  ensued  Dowlut  Kam,  a  sowar 
riding  by  the  lieutenant's  side,  was  bowled  over  and 
instantly  threatened  with  death  from  three  Afghan 
knives.  Wheeling  his  horse,  Hamilton  cut  his  way 
to  the  fallen  man's  side,  dragged  him  from  beneath 
his  dead  horse,  and  carried  him  off  right  under  the 
enemy's  nose. 

For  this  act  he  was  recommended  for  the  Cross, 
but  to  everyone's  disappointment  it  was  not  awarded 
him.  Only  after  he  had  fallen  beneath  Afghan 
swords  at  Cabul,  five  months  later,  was  his  heroism 
acknowledged.  Then  followed  the  tardy  announce- 
ment that  had  he  lived  her  Majesty  would  have  been 
pleased  to  confer  the  honour  of  the  Victoria  Cross 
upon  him. 

Hamilton's  end  was  an  heroic  one.  Early  one 
September  morning  in  1879  the  Kesidency  at  Cabul 
in  which  Sir  Louis  Cavagnari  and  his  staff  had  taken 


156  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

up  their  quarters  was  attacked  and  fired  by  the 
Afghans.  The  only  defenders  of  the  place  were  the 
Guides,  a  mere  handful  of  men  under  Lieutenant 
Hamilton's  command.  Soon  the  building  was  stormed, 
and  Cavagnari  with  his  suite  brutally  massacred. 
Hamilton  alone  remained,  the  last  Englishman  left 
alive  in  Cabul. 

Driven  from  room  to  room,  he  and  his  men  at  last 
reached  the  courtyard  to  make  their  last  stand.  In 
vain  did  the  Afghans  call  on  the  Guides  to  join 
them,  saying  they  had  no  quarrel  with  men  of 
their  own  race.  The  Guides  were  loyal  to  the  oath 
they  had  sworn.  As  one  man  they  formed  up 
behind  their  gallant  leader,  dressed  their  ranks, 
and  flung  wide 

"The  doors  not  all  their  valour  could  longer  keep." 

Then  with  a  cheer  out  they  dashed  at  the  horde 
before  them,  in  the  mad  endeavour  to  cut  their  way 
through.  It  was  a  forlorn  hope.  The  enemy  closed 
round  them  like  a  dark  sea, 

*'And  with  never  a  foot  lagging  or  head  bent, 
To  the  clash  and  clamour  and  dust  of  death  they  weut."^ 

How  Hamilton  himself  fell  was  learned  afterwards 
from  the  Afghans,  who  could  appreciate  such  dauntless 
courage  as  his.  They  said  he  fought  like  a  lion  at 
bay,  sweeping  a  space  clear  around  him  with  his 
sword ;  and  it  was  only  by  the  reckless  sacrifice  of 
a  few  of  their  number,  who  threw  themselves  upon 
him  and  were  shot  or  sabred,  that  the  rest  were  able 
to  pull  him  down.  Then  a  dozen  knives  buried 
themselves  in  his  body,  and  all  was  over. 

1  "The  Guides  at  Oabul,"  Henry  Newbolt. 


SOME  AFGHAN  CROSSES  157 

The  record  of  the  Afghan  War  teems  with  heroic 
exploits,  but  only  a  few  more  can  be  touched  on  here. 
There  was,  for  instance,  the  gallant  rescue  of  a 
wounded  Bengal  Lancer  at  Dakka,  by  Lieutenant 
Keginald  Clare  Hart  (now  a  Lieut.- General  and  K.C.B.). 
"  I  am  going  for  the  V.C.  to-day ! "  he  said  to  his 
brother-officers  on  the  morning  of  the  engagement; 
and  he  won  it,  after  running  some  twelve  hundred 
yards  under  the  Afghan  fire  to  pull  the  disabled 
sowar  out  of  a  river  bed. 

At  about  the  same  time  Captain  O'Moor  Creagh 
with  a  detachment  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  men  held 
off  fifteen  thousand  Afghans  who  attacked  him  near 
the  village  of  Kam  Dakka ;  a  brilliant  feat  that  was 
only  equalled  by  Captain  Vousden,  of  the  5th  Punjab 
Cavalry,  who  some  time  later  charged  into  a  body  of 
four  hundred  of  the  enemy  with  simply  twelve  sowars 
at  his  back,  and  dispersed  them ! 

There  were  Crosses  for  both  these  brave  captains, 
just  as  there  was  one  for  Captain  E.  H.  Sartorius 
(brother  of  the  Ashanti  hero)  for  a  dashing  charge 
which  cleared  a  strong  force  of  the  enemy  from  the 
Shah  Juy  hill  at  Tazi. 

Mention  of  Sartorius  recalls  the  somewhat  similar 
deeds  which  gained  a  V.C.  for  a  distinguished  major 
of  the  92nd  Highlanders,  who  is  now  the  popular 
Field-Marshal  Sir  George  Stewart  White,  G.C.B.,  etc. 
On  his  Cross  two  dates  figure,  October  6,  1879,  and 
September  1,  1880.  The  first  denotes  the  action  at 
Charasiah,  where  the  Afghans  were  defeated,  much  to 
the  chagrin  of  the  treacherous  Amir  Yakoub  Khan, 
who  had  laid  plans  for  the  complete  annihilation  of 
the  British  army. 

There  was  a  hill  to  be  taken,  on  which  the  enemy 


158  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

had  mustered  in  large  numbers,  and  at  the  word  of 
command  two  companies  of  the  "  Gay  Gordons,"  with 
Major  White  at  their  head,  breasted  the  slope  and 
raced  up.  The  major  was  easily  first.  Leaving  the 
rest  to  follow,  he  tore  ahead  and  bearded  the  Afghans 
single-handed,  shooting  their  leader  dead  with  his 
revolver.  This  act  brought  him  high  praise  from 
General  Koberts,  who  went  over  the  ground  with  him 
next  day  and  noted  the  difficulties  that  had  to  be 
encountered. 

On  the  second  occasion  Major  White  was  with  his 
Gordons  at  Candahar,  assisting  in  the  rout  of  Ayoub 
Khan.  At  an  important  stage  of  the  battle  a 
desperate  stand  was  made  by  the  Afghans  at  the 
Baba  Wall  Kotal,  and  it  became  necessary  to  storm 
the  position,  or  the  wavering  enemy  would  have  time 
to  rally. 

"Now,  92nd,"  cried  their  leader,  "just  one  charge 
more  to  close  the  business  ! "  The  Gordons  answered 
with  a  shout,  and  accompanied  by  the  2nd  Ghurkas 
and  23rd  Pioneers  they  streamed  up  the  hill  to  carry 
it  with  bayonets.  As  always,  Major  White  was  well 
in  front.  He  was  the  first  to  reach  the  guns,  the  next 
man  being  Sepoy  Inderbir  Lama,  who  placed  his  rifle 
on  one  of  them  and  exclaimed  proudly,  "  Captured  in 
the  name  of  the  2nd  Ghurkas ! " 

That  charge  did  "  close  the  business."  The  Afghans 
broke  and  fled,  and  the  troops  went  on  to  capture 
Ayoub  Khan's  enormous  camp  with  his  artillery, 
thirty-two  pieces  in  all,  among  them  being  found  two 
of  our  Horse  Artillery  guns  that  had  been  taken  at 
Maiwand  in  July. 

I  cannot  close  this  chapter  without  telling  how 
Padre  Adams  won  his  V.C.     The  only  clergyman  to 


SOME  AFGHAN  CROSSES  159 

have  received  the  decoration,  he  stands  in  a  unique 
position,  although,  as  I  have  said  already,  at  least  one 
other  Army  chaplain  deserved  it. 

The  Kev.  James  William  Adams,  B.A.  (to  give  him 
his  full  title),  was  attached  to  the  Cabul  Field  Force 
and  marched  up  to  the  Amir's  capital  with  the 
troops  when  they  went  to  avenge  Cavagnari's  death. 
Liking  to  be  always  at  the  front  when  any  fighting 
was  going  on,  he  acted  as  aide-de-camp  to  General 
Koberts  on  several  occasions,  making  himself  very  use- 
ful. It  was  in  this  capacity  that  he  was  accompanying 
Eoberts  when,  on  December  11th,  1879,  the  main 
body  of  the  force  encountered  Mahommed  Jan's  army 
near  Sherpur  and,  owing  to  a  miscarriage  of  plans, 
was  obliged  to  beat  a  temporary  retreat. 

In  the  retiring  movement  some  of  the  guns  were 
in  danger  of  falling  into  the  Afghans'  hands,  so  a 
troop  of  the  9  th  Lancers,  with  a  few  of  the  14th 
Bengal  Lancers,  made  a  gallant  attempt  to  hold  the 
enemy  in  check.  The  charge  was  brilliant  but 
disastrous.  Men  and  horses  went  down  like  ninepins, 
many  of  them  falling  into  a  deep  ditch,  or  nullah,  in 
which  one  or  two  of  the  guns  had  already  come  to 
grief. 

Seeing  a  wounded,  dismounted  man  of  the  9  th 
staggering  towards  him,  Adams  jumped  off  his  charger 
and  tried  to  lift  the  poor  fellow  into  the  saddle,  but 
the  animal,  a  very  valuable  mare,  took  fright  and 
bolted.  Still  supporting  the  lancer,  the  chaplain 
helped  him  on  his  way  to  the  rear,  where  some  of  his 
comrades  took  him  in  charge. 

Eeturning  at  once  to  the  front,  Adams  observed 
two  more  men  of  the  9  th  in  the  ditch  who  were  in 
dijSiculties.     Their  horses  had  rolled  over  on  to  them. 


i6o  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

and  they  were  struggling  vainly  to  get  free.  The 
advancing  Afghans  were  now  pretty  close,  and  General 
Koberts  called  out  to  the  chaplain  to  look  after  him- 
self ;  but  the  "  fighting  parson,"  as  his  men  called  him, 
was  a  true  hero.  Leaping  down  into  the  ditch 
without  a  moment's  hesitation,  he  splashed  his  way 
through  the  mud  and  water  to  the  lancers'  rescue. 
A  few  strong  pulls  of  his  brawny  arms  (he  was  an 
unusually  powerful  man)  quickly  released  the  im- 
prisoned men,  and  he  had  them  safe  on  the  top  of 
the  bank  ere  the  first  of  the  Afghans  had  reached  the 
nullah. 

Padre  Adams  had  long  been  the  idol  of  the  men  to 
whom  he  ministered,  and  there  was  general  rejoicing 
in  the  Army  when  his  name  in  due  course  appeared 
in  the  Gazette.  There  was  keen  regret,  too,  some 
years  later  when  he  bade  farewell  to  the  service  he 
loved,  and  returned  home  to  settle  down  in  a  peaceful 
Norfolk  rectory. 

It  seems  only  the  other  day  that  his  tall  well-built 
figure  was  to  be  met  striding  along  the  lanes  round 
Stow  Bardolph  and  Downham  Market,  and  it  is  hard 
to  realise  that  nearly  three  years  have  now  passed 
since  death  took  "  the  V.C.  parson  "  from  our  midst. 


CHAPTEK   XIX. 

MAIWAND. — A    gunner's    STORY. 

THE  one  disaster  of  the  Afghan  campaign  of 
1878-80  was  the  defeat  of  General  Burrows' 
force  at  Mai  wand  by  an  army  of  25,000  men 
under  the  leadership  of  Ayoub  Khan  himself. 
It  had  been  expected  that  the  Amir  would  follow 
a  certain  route  on  his  way  to  Ghazni  and  Candahar, 
and  Burrows  had  been  warned  to  be  on  the  look-out. 
That  the  British  general  failed  to  stay  the  Amir's 
progress  when  the  two  armies  came  into  conflict  at 
Mai  wand  was  due  to  the  smallness  of  his  force,  which 
numbered  less  than  3000  men;  to  the  desertion  of 
a  large  number  of  native  levies;  and  to  the  fact 
that  the  native  portion  of  the  brigade  got  out  of 
hand  soon  after  the  fight  had  started,  and  impeded 
the  British  troops. 

Continuing  his  march  after  this  signal  victory, 
Ayoub  Khan  proceeded  to  Candahar  and  commenced 
the  siege  of  that  city.  How  he  was  speedily  followed 
by  General  Eoberts  and  in  turn  defeated  has  been 
already  told. 

The  battle  of  Maiwand  was  fought  on  July  27th, 
1880.     Early  on  the  morning  of  that  day  Burrows' 
brigade,  including    the    66th    Regiment,  "the  Green 
II  j6x 


i62  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

Howards,"  and  some  Koyal  Horse  Artillery,  and 
encumbered  with  a  large  number  of  camels,  baggage 
waggons,  camp  followers,  etc.,  moved  out  from  the 
camp  at  Khushk-i-Nakhud.  This  position  was  about 
forty  miles  from  Candahar.  The  Afghan  army  was 
to  be  intercepted  at  the  village  of  Maiwand,  eleven 
miles  away. 

Eiding  with  the  guns  of  the  Horse  Artillery  that 
summer  morning  were  two  men.  Sergeant  Patrick 
MuUane  and  Gunner  James  CoUis,  who  were  destined 
to  win  no  little  glory  in  the  somewhat  inglorious 
fight.  They  were  by  no  means  the  only  heroes  of 
Maiwand,  for  many  stirring  deeds  were  done  that 
day ;  but  the  slaughter  was  terrific,  and  of  all  who 
earned  the  honour  of  the  V.C.  only  these  two  sur- 
vived. 

As  an  example  of  the  courage  displayed  by  the 
British  troops  the  story  may  be  told  of  how,  when 
our  native  infantry  broke  and  fled  before  the  Afghan 
attack,  the  66th  Kegiment  was  left  alone  to  receive 
the  onset  of  the  enemy.  Such  a  small  body  of  men 
could  do  nothing,  however  valiantly  they  fought,  and 
very  reluctantly  they  obeyed  the  order  to  fall  back. 
Following  up  their  advantage,  the  Afghans  now 
pressed  them  more  closely.  In  among  the  doomed 
soldiers  leapt  the  white-robed  Pathans,  stabbing  and 
slashing  with  their  long  knives  until  they  succeeded 
in  breaking  up  the  men  into  small  parties,  who  could 
be  more  easily  cut  down. 

Towards  the  end  of  the  day  a  little  company  of 
the  66  th,  officers  and  men,  gathered  together  for  a 
last  stand  in  a  little  village  some  distance  from 
Maiwand.  Surrounded  by  a  yelling  horde,  they  fired 
volley  after  volley,  but  the  return  fire  of  the  enemy 


MAIWAND.— A  GUNNER'S  STORY        163 

gradually  thinned  their  ranks.  At  length,  so  it  is 
recorded,  ten  privates  and  one  officer  alone  remained. 
Back  to  back  stood  the  brave  eleven,  determined 
never  to  give  in,  for  the  honour  of  the  regiment  and 
their  country.  And  one  by  one  they  dropped  where 
they  stood,  until,  it  is  related,  but  one  man  remained 
erect,  facing  his  foes  undaunted.  One  man  against 
some  hundreds.  Then  the  Afghan  rifles  spoke  out 
once  more,  and  the  last  of  that  stricken  remnant  fell 
with  a  bullet  through  his  heart. 

But  it  is  of  Mullane  and  Collis  that  I  propose 
to  speak  here,  and  of  how  they  won  their  V.C.'s. 
After  the  fortune  of  the  battle  was  decided  and  the 
stricken  British  brigade  commenced  its  retreat  to 
Candahar  the  Eoyal  Horse  Artillery  made  many 
gallant  attempts  to  beat  off  the  pursuing  Afghans. 
Indeed,  but  for  the  masterly  way  in  which  they 
worked  their  guns,  the  losses  on  our  side  must  have 
been  considerably  greater  than  they  were. 

Sergeant  Mullane  stood  by  his  gun  on  one  of 
these  occasions,  and  after  a  round  or  two  had  been 
fired  helped  to  limber  up  smartly  to  follow  the  force. 
As  the  gun  moved  on  a  driver  was  seen  to  fall.  The 
Afghans  were  tearing  after  the  fugitives  at  full  speed, 
and  the  wounded  man  lay  directly  in  their  path. 

Only  a  daring  man  would  have  ventured  to  turn 
and  face  that  fierce  oncoming  crowd ;  but  "  Paddy  " 
Mullane  was  that  man.  Eacing  back  to  where  the 
driver  lay,  he  lifted  him  up  in  his  arms  and,  being  a 
big  strong  fellow,  quickly  carried  him  out  of  the 
enemy's  reach.  It  was  a  narrow  squeak,  however ; 
as  he  turned  with  his  burden  to  make  for  his  comrades, 
the  nearest  Afghans  were  within  a  few  yards  of 
him,  and  one  or  two  wild  shots  whizzed  by  his  ears. 


i64  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

The  next  day,  while  the  retreat  continued,  Mullane 
performed  another  gallant  action,  which  was  duly 
noted  on  his  Cross.  Most  of  the  troops,  and 
particularly  the  wounded,  suffered  terribly  from 
thirst  in  the  glare  of  the  sun,  and  it  was  impossible 
to  obtain  drink  from  the  hostile  villages  they  passed 
through. 

At  last  Sergeant  Mullane  could  stand  the  cries  of 
distress  no  longer.  "  I'm  off  to  get  some  water,"  he 
announced  briefly  to  his  comrades,  when  they  neared 
another  village.  And,  doubling  to  the  nearest  houses, 
he  managed  to  procure  a  good  supply,  with  which 
he  ran  hastily  back,  while  the  infuriated  villagers 
peppered  him  hotly.  Fortunately  for  him  their 
marksmanship  was  none  too  good,  and  not  a  shot 
struck  him,  though  several  went  so  close  as  to 
make  him  realise  the  risk  he  had  run. 

Of  how  Gunner  Collis  bore  himself  in  that  retreat 
from  Maiwand  we  have  been  told  in  his  own  words, 
and  I  cannot  do  better  than  follow  the  account  he  gives. 
He  was  limber  gunner,  he  says,  in  his  battery,  and 
when  an  Afghan  shell  killed  four  of  the  gunners  and 
Sergeant  Wood,  only  three  were  left  to  work  the 
piece.  Taking  the  sergeant's  place,  he  went  on  firing, 
but  was  soon  almost  borne  down  by  panic-stricken 
fugitives,  who  threw  themselves  both  under  and  on 
the  gun. 

On  the  native  infantry  and  cavalry  breaking  up  in 
confusion  the  guns  limbered  up  and  fell  back  at  a 
gallop  for  some  two  thousand  yards.  Here  another 
two  rounds  were  fired,  but  again  the  order  came  to 
retire,  for  the  enemy  were  advancing  rapidly.  A 
mounted  Afghan    even    caught  up  with  the  gun  on 


MAIWAND.— A  GUNNER'S  STORY        165 

which  Collis  sat  and  slashed  at  him  fiercely  as  he 
passed.  The  sword  cut  the  gunner  over  the  left  eye- 
brow. As  the  Afghan  wheeled  and  rode  at  him  again 
Collis  raised  his  carbine,  and  at  about  five  yards' 
range  let  drive.  The  shot  struck  the  sowar  on  the 
chest,  causing  him  to  fall  from  his  horse.  In  doing 
so  some  money  rattled  out  of  his  turban,  and  Collis 
relates  that  Trumpeter  Jones,  K.H.A.,  jumped  off 
his  horse  and  picked  it  up. 

Dusk  now  came  fast  upon  the  fugitives,  and  having 
stepped  aside  at  a  village  to  try  and  secure  some 
water,  Collis  lost  his  gun.  He  accordingly  attached 
himself  to  No.  2,  sticking  to  it  all  the  way  to 
Candahar. 

By  the  wayside,  as  they  went  along,  lay  many 
wounded.  As  many  of  these  as  he  could  the  gallant 
gunner  picked  up  and  placed  on  his  gun.  He 
collected  ten  altogether,  every  one  a  66  th  man, 
except  a  colonel  whom  he  did  not  know.  Presently 
the  wounded  began  to  beg  for  water,  and  like  Mullane, 
Collis  could  not  bear  to  hear  their  cries  without 
making  an  effort  to  satisfy  them. 

At  a  village  near  Kokeran,  the  next  day,  he  made 
a  dash  for  some  water,  which  he  was  successful  in 
obtaining.  Here,  he  records,  he  saw  Lieutenant 
Maclaine,  of  the  Eoyal  Horse  Artillery,  and  he  was 
almost  the  last  man  to  see  him  alive.  The  lieutenant 
was  captured  immediately  afterwards,  kept  a  close 
prisoner  by  Ayoub  Khan,  and  eventually  found  lying 
with  his  throat  cut  outside  the  Amir's  tent  at 
Candahar,  after  the  Afghan  leader's  flight. 

A  second  journey  for  water  becoming  necessary, 
Collis  set  off  again  for  the  village.  He  was  returning 
with   a  fresh   supply  when   he  beheld  some  ten  or 


i66  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

twelve  of  the  enemy's  cavalry  approaching  the  gun. 
The  gun  went  off,  and,  throwing  himself  down  in  a 
little  nullah,  Collis  waited  until  it  passed  by.  Then, 
with  a  rifle  which  he  had  obtained  from  a  66  th 
private,  he  opened  fire  upon  the  Afghans,  in  order 
to  draw  them  from  the  gun  and  the  wounded. 

Not  knowing  how  many  were  concealed  in  the 
nullah,  the  Afghans  halted  and  answered  his  fire. 
They  fortunately  failed  to  hit  the  plucky  gunner, 
but  from  his  vantage  he  scored  heavily  against  them, 
killing  two  men  and  a  horse.  From  a  distance  of 
three  hundred  yards,  however,  they  came  pretty  close 
to  him,  and  he  must  have  been  discovered  had  not 
General  Nuttall  arrived  on  the  scene  with  some 
native  cavalry  and  made  them  turn  tail. 

"  You're  a  gallant  young  man,"  said  the  General. 
"  What  is  your  name  ? " 

"  Gunner  Collis,  sir,  of  E.  of  B.,  RH.A.,"  answered 
the  gunner  in  business-like  fashion,  and  the  details 
were  promptly  noted  in  the  General's  pocket-book. 

Then  Collis  hastened  after  his  gun,  which  he  caught 
up  with  after  a  five  hundred  yards'  chase,  and  after 
running  the  gauntlet  of  the  enemy's  fire  for  several 
miles  farther,  went  safely  in  with  it  into  Candahar. 
He  arrived  there  at  seven  in  the  evening,  having 
been  marching  for  a  whole  night  and  day  since  the 
battle. 

There  is  yet  another  brave  act  to  be  recorded  of 
Gunner  Collis,  which  contributed  to  gain  him  his 
well-earned  Cross  for  Valour.  While  the  garrison 
under  General  Primrose  were  besieged  in  Candahar, 
anxiously  awaiting  the  arrival  of  General  Koberts' 
relief  column,  various  sorties  were  made  upon  the 
enemy.     On   one  of   these   occasions,  in   the   middle 


MAIWAND.— A  GUNNER'S  STORY        167 

of  August,  CoUis  was  standing  by  his  gun  on  the 
rampart  of  the  fort  when  Generals  Primrose  and 
Nuttall  passed  in  earnest  conversation  with  Colonel 
Burnet. 

Hearing  one  of  the  former  say  that  he  wished  he 
could  send  a  message  to  General  Dewberry,  who  was 
fighting  away  out  in  the  village,  the  gunner  stepped 
up  to  Colonel  Burnet  and  touched  him  on  the  arm. 

"I- think  I  can  take  the  message,  sir,"  he  said, 
giving  a  salute. 

The  officers  were  doubtful  about  allowing  him  to 
go  on  so  dangerous  an  errand,  but  after  a  little 
hesitation  General  Primrose  wrote  a  note  which  Collis 
slipped  into  his  pocket.  Then,  a  rope  having  been 
brought,  the  gunner  was  lowered  over  the  parapet 
into  the  ditch,  about  forty  feet  below.  He  was  fired 
at  by  the  enemy's  matchlock  men  as  he  slid  down, 
but  luckily  they  were  too  far  off  to  aim  accurately. 

Eeaching  the  village  safely,  he  delivered  his  message 
to  General  Dewberry,  and,  dodging  the  enemy, 
returned  to  clamber  up  the  rope.  While  half  way 
up  the  Afghans  tried  to  "  pot "  him  again,  and  this 
time  a  bullet  came  close  enough  to  cut  off  the  heel 
of  his  left  boot. 

At  the  instance  of  General  Nuttall  and  Colonel 
Burnet,  General  Koberts  recommended  the  brave 
gunner  for  the  V.C,  and  much  to  Collis's  surprise 
it  was  presented  to  him  on  July  28th,  1881. 


CHAPTER   XX. 

ZULULAND. THE    DASH    WITH    THE    COLOURS    FROM 

ISANDHLANA. 

AT  the  same  time  that  the  war  in  Afghanistan  was 
being  carried  to  a  successful  issue  serious 
trouble  was  brewing  in  South  Africa.  The  Zulus 
under  Cetewayo,  who  had  long  been  restless,  now 
threatened  to  overrun  Natal  and  the  Transvaal,  and 
precipitate  a  general  revolt  of  the  black  races  against 
the  white. 

To  go  into  the  whole  history  of  the  quarrel  would 
take  too  long,  but  it  may  be  said  that  the  grievances 
of  the  natives  arose  out  of  long  -  standing  feuds 
between  them  and  the  Boers  over  the  seizure  of  land. 
The  immediate  cause  of  the  war  was  a  dispute  over 
a  strip  of  territory  extending  along  the  left  bank 
of  the  Tugela  River  into  Zululand.  To  this  piece 
of  land  the  Zulus  obstinately  asserted  their  right,  and 
their  claim  was  upheld  by  a  Commission  which  was 
appointed  to  inquire  into  the  matter. 

After  the  annexation  of  the  Transvaal  by  Great 
Britain  in  1877  Sir  Bartle  Frere  had  been  sent 
out  to  South  Africa  as  High  Commissioner,  and 
unfortunately  for  everyone  concerned  he  now  strongly 
opposed  the  arbitrators'  award.  Regarding  Cetewayo 
as  a  dangerous  enemy,  as  a  cruel,  savage  monarch 


THE  DASH  WITH  THE  COLOURS        169 

whose  power  it  was  necessary  to  curb,  he  withheld 
the  award  for  several  months,  in  the  course  of  which 
time  the  Zulu  king  nursed  an  ever-growing  resent- 
ment towards  the  British. 

In  this  interval  Cetewayo,  who  set  himself  to 
follow  in  the  steps  of  his  uncle,  the  famous  chief 
Dingaan,  perpetrated  many  atrocities  which  showed 
him  to  be  a  bloodthirsty  tyrant.  When  he  was 
remonstrated  with  for  his  cruelties  he  insolently 
answered  that  the  killing  he  had  done  was  nothing 
to  the  killing  he  intended  to  do,  a  reply  which  was 
taken  as  a  warning  that  the  Zulus  looked  forward  to 
"  washing  their  spears  "  in  the  blood  of  white  men. 

A  raid  into  Natal  to  recapture  some  native  women 
who  had  fled  thither  for  protection,  and  the  sub- 
sequent murder  of  the  captives,  increased  Sir  Bartle 
Frere's  determination  to  take  strong  measures  against 
Cetewayo.  Accordingly,  when  the  award  was  an- 
nounced to  the  king  it  was  accompanied  with  an 
ultimatum  that  the  vast  Zulu  army  must  be  disbanded 
and  certain  objectionable  practices  discontinued. 

Cetewayo,  looking  over  his  impis,  which  numbered 
some  50,000  warriors — all  well  drilled  and  well 
armed — laughed  at  the  proposal.  His  army  had 
measured  itself  against  the  white  men  already  and 
with  no  little  success.  So  the  thirty  days  of  grace 
allowed  him  passed  unheeded,  and,  war  having  been 
declared,  a  British  force  crossed  the  Tugela  into 
Zululand. 

Lord  Chelmsford,  who  commanded  the  troops, 
divided  his  little  army  into  three  main  columns. 
One  marched  to  an  important  station  in  the  Transvaal ; 
another  to  a  position  near  the  mouth  of  the  Tugela ; 
and  the  third — the  invading  force — to  Eorke's  Drift, 


170  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

on  the  banks  of  the  Buffalo  Eiver,  thence  to  cross 
over  into  Zululand.  It  was  to  this  last  column  that 
the  great  defeat  at  Isandhlana  befell,  a  disaster 
which  filled  all  England  with  consternation  when  the 
news  of  it  arrived.  And  to  it  belongs  the  story  of 
how  Lieutenants  Melvill  and  Coghill  made  that 
desperate  dash  to  escape  with  the  regimental  colours 
of  the  24th  that  won  them  everlasting  fame. 

How  the  disaster  occurred  is  soon  told.  Although 
advised  by  Boer  veterans  well  versed  in  Zulu  warfare 
as  to  the  necessity  of  laagering  his  waggons  every 
evening  and  of  throwing  out  scouts  well  in  advance, 
Lord  Chelmsford  preferred  to  adopt  his  own  tactics. 
He  was  an  experienced  and  brave  officer,  whose 
record  of  active  service  included  the  Crimean,  Indian 
Mutiny,  and  Abyssinian  campaigns,  but  he  now 
made  the  fatal  mistake  of  despising  the  enemy  before 
him. 

After  one  or  two  successful  skirmishes  with  the 
Zulus,  the  little  force  of  about  1300  men  marched 
up  through  the  country,  crossed  the  Buffalo  Kiver, 
and  encamped  at  the  foot  of  a  hill  known  to  the 
natives  as  Isandhlana,  "the  lion's  hill."  Here  the 
tents  were  pitched  but  no  laager  formed ;  no  proper 
precautions  taken  to  guard  against  an  attack. 

This  was  negligence  enough,  but  worse  was  to 
follow.  Two  small  reconnoitring  parties  who  were 
sent  out  on  January  21st  were  alarmed  by  the  sight 
of  a  large  body  of  Zulus  not  far  away.  In  some 
haste  they  sent  to  the  camp  for  reinforcements.  On 
receipt  of  this  intelligence  Lord  Chelmsford  got 
together  several  companies  of  the  24th,  some  mounted 
infantry    and    a    few    guns,    and    at    a    very    early 


THE  DASH  WITH  THE  COLOURS   171 

hour  the  next  morning  started  out  to  meet,  as 
he  confidently  supposed,  Cetewayo's  main  army. 
A  body  of  Zulus  was  encountered  and  repulsed,  but 
they  did  not  form  the  larger  portion  of  Cetewayo's 
impis.  While  the  British  commander-in-chief  was 
thus  decoyed  from  his  base,  an  army  of  20,000 
Zulus  was  hastening  fleet-footed  round  the  hills,  to 
swoop  down  upon  the  doomed  camp. 

At  Isandhlana  only  eight  hundred  men  had  been 
left.  These  comprised  a  handful  of  Mounted  Infantry 
and  Volunteers,  seventy  of  the  Koyal  Artillery  with 
two  guns,  and  some  companies  of  the  24th  Regiment 
and  the  Natal  Carabineers.  This  puny  force  was 
under  the  command  of  Colonel  Durnford,  RE.,  who 
had  been  hastily  summoned  thither  from  Eorke's 
Drift. 

Lord  Chelmsford  marched  out  at  about  four  in  the 
morning.  Five  hours  later  the  advancing  Zulu  impis 
were  sighted  by  the  watchers  at  Isandhlana,  and  an 
urgent  message  was  despatched  to  the  front.  This 
message  the  General  disregarded,  his  aide-de-camp's 
telescope  having  assured  him  that  the  camp  was 
unmolested. 

Not  everyone,  however,  shared  this  optimistic 
opinion,  for  Colonel  Harness  and  Major  Black, 
believing  the  messenger's  story  to  be  true,  started 
back  to  Isandhlana  on  their  own  account,  taking  four 
companies  with  them.  But,  to  their  grief,  they  were 
peremptorily  recalled.  Had  they  continued  their 
journey  they  would  have  been  in  time  to  witness  the 
end  of  the  death  struggle  which  was  even  then  in 
progress  at  the  camp;  though  it  is  doubtful  if 
they  could  have  done  anything  to  save  their 
comrades. 


172  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

Eight  hundred  against  twenty  thousand.  What 
chance  had  they  ? 

By  noon  the  crescent  of  the  Zulu  army  had 
enveloped  the  camp.  Drawing  closer  and  still  closer 
in,  the  ringed  warriors,  the  cream  of  Cetewayo's  fighting 
men,  armed  with  assegai,  knobkerry,  and  rifle,  burst 
upon  Durnford's  little  company  as  they  hastily  tried 
to  form  a  laager  with  the  waggons.  Durnford 
himself  was  in  the  thick  of  it,  encouraging  the 
troopers,  placing  a  gun  here  and  ordering  a  charge 
there.     But  it  was  all  in  vain. 

Before  the  fierce  fire  of  thousands  of  Zulu  rifles, 
and  before  the  host  of  assegais  that  hurtled  through 
the  air,  the  redcoats  and  the  Basutos  of  the  Native 
Contingent  went  down  like  corn  under  the  sickle. 
They  fought  well,  as  desperate  men  will  when  driven 
to  bay ;  but  while  they  fired  and  reloaded  and  fired 
again  behind  them  came  the  right  horn  of  the  over- 
lapping Zulu  army  to  strike  at  them  in  the  rear. 
Thaty  and  not  a  panic-stricken  flight,  accounted  for 
the  many  assegai  wounds  which  were  afterwards 
observed  in  the  fallen  men's  backs. 

There  were  numerous  deeds  of  valour  performed 
that  day,  of  which  some  account  has  come  down  to  us 
from  the  Zulus  themselves.  The  24th,  the  South 
Wales  Borderers,  a  regiment  with  a  famous  record, 
knew  how  to  die,  and  officers  and  men  accounted  for 
many  a  dusky  foe  ere  they  themselves  w^ere  borne 
down. 

We  have  a  picture  of  little  parties  of  them  found 
lying  with  their  fifty  or  sixty  rounds  of  spent 
cartridges  beside  their  dead  bodies,  to  give  colour  to 
the  Zulus'  story  that  they  "  could  not  make  way 
against  the  soldiers  until  they  ceased  firing."     Then, 


WITH   THE   FLAG    .    .    .    FiRMLY    GRIPPED    IN    HIS    HAND,    MELVILL 
SPURRED  HIS  HOUSE  FOR  THE  RIVER. — Page   1/3. 


THE  DASH  WITH  THE  COL'    RS 


173 


and  theu  ouly,  could  the  deadly  assegai 
work,  as  the  warriors  leapt  in  with  the 
hiss. 

And  we  have  another  picture  given 
Younghusband,  of  the  same  regiment,  ^ 
in  an  empty  waggon  with  three  privates 
a  crowd  of  the  enemy  at  bay.  The  ( 
last,  shot  or  assegaied  by  the  Zulus  wh 
the  sides,  but  the  tall,  soldierly  figure  hold 
off.  Then,  his  last  cartridge  gone,  he  leap 
in  hand,  to  cut  his  way  through  to  11 1 
possible. 

It  was  not  possible.     But  he  died  fi: 
lion.     Said  a  Zulu  who  took  part  in  tht 
those  who  tried  to  stab   him  were  knc- 
once.     He  kept   his   ground   for  a   Ion 
someone  shot  him." 

Very  few  escaped  alive  from  that  cit 
Of  the  gallant  eight  hundred  all  but  six 
lifeless  around  the  waggons  and  overt  1 
on  the  rough  ground   to  the    rear,   wl 
corpses  marked  the  path  to  the  river. 

Lieutenant   Teignmouth    Melvill,   A 
1st    Battalion    of    the    24th    Eegii 
those  who  got  away  wh'       "  "'^op'' 
up.     To  him  Colonel 
colours,  telling  him 
to  safety.     For  hir 
colonel,  their  dutA 
of  flight       "Men 
stcp 
1st 
bra 


inish  their 
rce  death- 

of  Captain 
iding  erect 
nd  keeping 
ers  fall  at 
clamber  up 
he  warriors 
own,  sword 
oy  if  it  be 

oing  like  a 
ttack,  "  All 
:ed  over  at 
'ime,   until 

p  of  death. 

V  stretched 

d  tents,  or 

a  line  of 

at  of  -the 

^L  among 

••■'^'  given 

ueen's 

back 

nd  Mie. 

-  tho; 

we 

nt 

and' 


THE  DASH  WITH  THE  COLOURS    173 

and  then  only,  could  the  deadly  assegais  finish  their 
work,  as  the  warriors  leapt  in  with  the  fierce  death- 
hiss. 

And  we  have  another  picture  given  us  of  Captain 
Younghusband,  of  the  same  regiment,  standing  erect 
in  an  empty  waggon  with  three  privates,  and  keeping 
a  crowd  of  the  enemy  at  bay.  The  others  fall  at 
last,  shot  or  assegaied  by  the  Zulus  who  clamber  up 
the  sides,  but  the  tall,  soldierly  figure  holds  the  warriors 
off.  Then,  his  last  cartridge  gone,  he  leaps  down,  sword 
in  hand,  to  cut  his  way  through  to  liberty  if  it  be 
possible. 

It  was  not  possible.  But  he  died  fighting  like  a 
lion.  Said  a  Zulu  who  took  part  in  the  attack,  "  All 
those  who  tried  to  stab  him  were  knocked  over  at 
once.  He  kept  his  ground  for  a  long  time,  until 
someone  shot  him." 

Very  few  escaped  alive  from  that  camp  of  death. 
Of  the  gallant  eight  hundred  all  but  six  lay  stretched 
lifeless  around  the  waggons  and  overturned  tents,  or 
on  the  rough  ground  to  the  rear,  where  a  line  of 
corpses  marked  the  path  to  the  river. 

Lieutenant  Teignmouth  Melvill,  Adjutant  of  -the 
1st  Battalion  of  the  24th  Kegiment,  was  among 
those  who  got  away  when  all  hope  of  rescue  was  given 
up.  To  him  Colonel  Pulleine  confided  the  Queen's 
colours,  telling  him  to  make  the  best  of  his  way  back 
to  safety.  For  himself,  and  those  with  him,  said  the 
colonel,  their  duty  was  plain.  There  was  no  thought 
of  flight.  "  Men,  we  are  here,  and  here  we  must 
stop ! "  was  his  brief  address  to  the  remnant  of  the 
1st  Battalion;  and  stop  they  did,  till  they  and  their 
brave  colonel  had  fallen. 

Meanwhile,   with    the    flag    rolled    and   cased  and 


174  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

firmly  gripped  in  his  hand,  Melvill  spurred  his  horse 
through  the  press  and  dashed  for  the  river.  After 
him  panted  a  score  or  more  of  Zulus,  pausing  only 
in  their  pursuit  to  stab  any  of  the  other  fugitives 
whom  they  passed. 

For  six  miles  the  adjutant  galloped  on  his  ride  for 
life,  gradually  leaving  the  Zulus  behind,  though  their 
shots  continued  to  follow  him.  He  had  now  been 
joined  by  Lieutenant  Nevill  Aylmer  Coghill,  of  his 
own  regiment,  who  had  cut  his  way  through  the  circle 
of  Zulus.  Then  the  tossing  waters  of  the  Buffalo 
came  in  view,  and  how  the  fugitives'  hearts  must  have 
risen  at  the  sight.  For  on  the  other  side  of  the  river 
lay  Natal  and  safety. 

A  last  desperate  spurt  and  the  bank  was  gained. 
Down  the  steep  slope  scrambled  horses  and  riders, 
and  plunged  into  the  swirling  stream.  The  Buffalo 
runs  swiftly  between  its  high  banks,  the  water  being 
broken  up  by  large  rocks,  dotted  here  and  there. 
Exhausted  after  its  flight,  Melvill's  horse  failed  to 
make  headway  against  the  swift  current,  and  in  its 
struggles  the  adjutant  was  swept  out  of  his  saddle. 

Not  far  away  from  him,  on  another  rock,  was  an 
officer  of  the  Native  Contingent,  named  Higginson. 

"  Catch  hold  of  the  pole  ! "  cried  the  adjutant ;  and 
the  other,  leaning  over,  made  a  grab  at  it  as  the  colours 
came  within  reach.     But  he,  too,  was  carried  away. 

By  this  time  the  foremost  of  the  Zulus  had  come 
up,  and  they  at  once  opened  fire  upon  the  helpless  men 
in  the  river.  Lieutenant  Coghill,  meanwhile,  had 
swum  his  horse  across  the  stream  and  gained  the 
opposite  bank  in  safety.  Eeining  up  on  the  top  of 
the  slope,  he  looked  back  and  saw  Melvill  struggling 
in  the  water  below. 


THE  DASH  WITH  THE  COLOURS   175 

There  was  a  chance  of  life  for  him.  His  horse  was 
still  fresh,  and  the  road  to  Helpmakaar  stretched 
away  behind  him.  But  Coghill  gave  no  thought  to 
himself,  or  if  he  did  he  banished  it  instantly  from  his 
mind.  Eiding  down  the  bank  again,  he  plunged  into 
the  river  with  a  cheery  call  to  Melvill  to  "  hold  on." 


GRAVE  OF   MELVILL   AND   COGHILL. 


Then,  just  as  he  reached  the  other  two,  his  horse 
was  shot.  The  current  carried  it  swiftly  down  the 
stream,  as  a  few  moments  later  it  bore  the  colours  which 
it  had  wrenched  from  Melvill's  grasp. 


CHAPTEK    XXL 

zululand. how  they  held  the  post  at 

rorke's  drift. 

THE  story  of  Korke's  Drift  is  the  story  of  one  of 
the  most  heroic  defences  in  our  military  annals. 
At  this  small  post  on  the  Buffalo  Kiver  one  hundred 
and  thirty-nine  men  of  the  24th  (South  Wales 
Borderers)  Eegiment,  Durnford's  Horse,  and  the  Natal 
Mounted  Police,  kept  off  a  huge  army  of  three 
thousand  Zulus  all  through  the  afternoon  and  night 
following  the  disaster  at  Isandhlana. 

Modern  history,  I  believe,  contains  no  parallel  to 
this  brilliant  feat  of  arms,  which  stands  for  all  time 
as  an  example  of  the  splendid  courage  and  devotion 
of  which  Englishmen  are  capable  when  duty  calls. 

At  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  of  that  fateful 
January  22  nd  an  officer  of  the  Eoyal  Engineers  was 
down  at  the  drift  watching  the  working  of  some 
pontoons.  This  was  Lieutenant  John  Eouse  Merriott 
Chard,  now  on  active  service  for  the  first  time  after 
seven  years  spent  at  various  dockyard  stations.  He 
had  reason  enough  to  be  thoughtful,  as  he  paced  slowly 
along  the  bank,  for  the  drift  was  a  position  of  extreme 
importance.  At  this  spot,  where  the  river  was  most 
easily  fordable,  the  Zulus  might  be  expected  to  cross 

178 


HOW  THEY  HELD  RORKE'S  DRIFT      179 

if  they  attempted  the  invasion  of  Natal.  And  to 
stay  them  if  they  came  was  only  a  small  garrison  of 
less  than  a  hundred  and  fifty  men. 

The  post  itself  was  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
distant,  an  old  Swedish  mission-station  converted  into 
a  commissariat  depot  and  hospital  for  the  use  of  Lord 
Chelmsford's  force.  From  where  he  stood  Lieutenant 
Chard  could  see  the  two  low  buildings  of  which  it 
consisted,  with  a  small  cluster  of  trees  in  front  and 
at  one  side,  and  behind  the  white  tents  where  the 
soldiers  were.  It  looked  a  poor  means  of  defence 
indeed. 

From  the  mission -station  his  thoughts  wandered  to 
the  little  force  which  had  crossed  by  that  same  ford 
eleven  days  previously  and  disappeared  into  the  Zulu 
country.  What  had  been  happening  behind  those 
distant  hills  ?  He  was  not  to  be  left  long  in  doubt. 
Suddenly  two  horsemen  appeared  in  sight  on  the 
other  side  of  the  river,  spurring  furiously  towards 
the  ford.  As  they  dashed  up,  the  pontoon  was 
pulled  across  and  the  two  were  ferried  over  to 
the  Natal  bank. 

The  new-comers  were  Lieutenant  Adendorff,  of 
Lonsdale's  corps,  and  a  carabineer  who  had  escaped 
with  him  from  the  Zulus.  The  lieutenant  was  in  his 
shirt-sleeves  and  hatless,  his  only  weapon  being  a 
revolver  strapped  round  his  breast.  As  soon  as  he 
reached  Chard's  side  he  poured  out  his  breathless  tale 
of  horror,  the  tale  of  the  Isandhlana  massacre.  He 
himself  had  come  straight  from  the  camp  of  death  to 
tell  the  news  of  the  disaster  and  to  warn  the  little 
garrison  at  the  drift  that  a  large  body  of  Zulus  was 
advancing  upon  it. 

Sending  the  carabineer  on  to  Helpmakaar,  twelve 


i8o  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

miles  away,  where  Major  Spalding,  the  commandant 
of  the  post,  had  gone  to  fetch  another  company  of  the 
24th  Kegiment,  Chard  proceeded  with  Adendorff  to 
the  mission-station.  Here  he  found  his  brother- 
officer,  Lieutenant  Gonville  Bromhead,  who  com- 
manded the  company  of  the  24th,  then  encamped 
close  by,  already  engaged  in  putting  the  mission-house, 
or  store-building  as  it  may  more  properly  be  called, 
and  the  hospital  in  a  state  of  defence.  Barricades 
were  being  prepared,  and  loopholes  made  in  the  walls. 
Bromhead  had  a  few  minutes  before  received  a  similar 
message  of  alarm. 

As  quickly  as  possible  the  tents  were  struck,  and 
all  who  were  able  were  set  to  work  to  build  up  a 
wall  of  mealie-bags,  about  four  feet  high,  from  one 
corner  of  the  stone  cattle-kraal  to  the  wall  of  the 
hospital  building.  This  afforded  a  protection  to  the 
front  of  the  post.  The  waggons,  which  all  the 
morning  had  been  unloading  the  stores  they  had 
brought  from  Helpmakaar,  were  called  into  requisi- 
tion and  made  to  form  a  barricade  between  the  two 
buildings. 

Everything  that  was  possible  was  done  to  render 
the  position  safe  against  attack,  but  the  proximity  of 
a  high  hill  (the  Oscarberg),  and  a  large  patch  of 
bushes  which  there  was  no  time  to  cut  down,  gave  an 
enemy  a  decided  advantage. 

Having  seen  that  his  directions  were  being  carried 
out,  Chard,  who  succeeded  to  the  command  in  Major 
Spalding's  absence,  went  back  to  the  drift  to  bring  up 
the  pontoon  guard.  To  the  honour  of  these  brave 
fellows,  a  sergeant  and  six  men,  it  is  said  that  they 
offered  to  moor  the  boats  in  the  stream  and  defend 
the  ford  as  long  as  they  could ;  but  the  lieutenant 


HOW  THEY  HELD  RORKE'S  DRIFT      i8i 

would  not  permit  such  a  sacrifice.  So  the  party  went 
up  the  bank  together  to  the  station. 

Half  an  hour  had  now  elapsed.  The  next  thing 
to  be  done  was  to  send  out  scouts  to  watch  for  the 
Zulus,  and  some  of  Durnford's  Horse  rode  out  on  this 
duty.  Their  officer  dashed  back  hastily  soon  after 
four  to  report  that  an  impi  was  marching  rapidly 
towards  the  drift,  and  further  that  his  men  were 
bolting  along  the  road  to  Helpmakaar. 

With  the  cowards  went  a  detachment  of  the  Natal 
Native  Contingent,  their  "gallant"  officer,  Captain 
Stevenson,  flying  with  them.  This  desertion  so  en- 
raged the  others  that  they  fired  a  round  after  them, 
killing  a  European  non-commissioned  officer  of  the 
Native  Contingent.  The  garrison  was  now  sadly 
reduced,  but  there  were  no  more  desertions.  Every 
man  at  the  post  was  prepared  to  stand  by  it  to  the 
last. 

The  line  of  defence  appearing  to  Chard  to  be  too 
extended  for  his  few  defenders,  he  constructed  an 
inner  breastwork  of — biscuit  boxes  !  "  We  soon  had 
completed,"  he  says  in  his  brief  report,  "a  wall  of 
about  two  boxes  high."  Behind  this  frail  barrier 
was  to  be  fought  as  fierce  a  fight  as  history  has  ever 
recorded. 

At  about  twenty  minutes  past  four  the  leading 
files  of  the  Zulus  hove  in  sight,  and  the  garrison  of 
Eorke's  Drift  flew  to  their  several  stations.  Some 
went  to  the  rampart  of  mealie-bags,  others  to  the 
windows  of  the  store-building,  and  others  to  the 
hospital  where  there  had  been  forty-five  men  when 
the  alarm  first  came,  but  where  only  twenty-three 
now  remained.  Among  those  told  off  to  guard  the 
wounded  were  Privates  Henry  Hook,  Kobert  Jones, 


i82  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

William  Jones,  and  John    Williams,  of  whom  more 
hereafter. 

Following  the  few  hundred  Zulus  who  came  leap- 
ing and  dancing  round  the  base  of  the  hill  came  a 
host  more,  their  ox-hide  shields  in  different  colours 
marking  the  regiments  to  which  they  belonged.  In 
true  Zulu  fashion  they  tried  to  "  rush  "  the  place  at 
once,  but  a  heavy  volley  drove  them  back.  Then 
they  began  to  take  up  positions  on  the  hillside, 
where  many  rocky  ledges  and  caves  afforded  them 
vantage-points,  while  others  dropped  behind  ant-hills 
and  bushes,  or  sought  cover  in  the  two  little  out- 
houses of  the  hospital. 

"  From  my  loophole,"  says  Hook,  "  I  saw  the  Zulus 
approaching  in  thousands.  They  began  to  fire,  yell- 
ing as  they  did  so,  when  they  were  five  hundred  or 
six  hundred  yards  off.  More  than  half  of  them  had 
muskets  or  rifles.  I  began  to  fire  when  they  were 
six  hundred  yards  distant.  I  managed  to  clip  several 
of  them,  for  I  had  an  excellent  rifle,  and  was  a 
*  marksman.' " 

Hook  in  his  account  recollects  particularly  one 
Zulu  whom  he  "  clipped "  at  four  hundred  yards 
while  running  from  one  ant-hill  to  another.  The 
warrior  made  a  complete  somersault  and  fell  dead. 
Another  Zulu  who  sheltered  himself  behind  an  ant- 
hill gave  Hook  some  trouble,  for  the  Gloucester  man 
had  to  sight  his  rifle  three  times  ere  he  got  his 
enemy's  range.  The  Zulu  never  showed  his  head 
round  the  heap  again,  and  when  Hook  went  round 
to  look  at  him  after  the  fight  was  over  he  found 
the  warrior  lying  there  with  a  bullet  hole  in  his 
skull. 

The  hospital  was  the  first  building  to  receive  the 


HOW  THEY  HELD  RORKE'S  DRIFT       183 

attack,  but  at  the  outer  wall  of  defence  a  fierce  hand- 
to-hand  struggle  soon  ensued.  Lieutenants  Chard  and 
Bromhead  were  fighting  hard  at  the  front,  the  latter 
being  conspicuous  in  many  a  bayonet  charge  at  the 
dark-skinned  figures  that  climbed  again  and  again 
over  the  mealie-bags.  Prominent,  too,  in  repelling 
the  Zulus  at  this  position  was  one  Corporal 
Schiess,  a  Swiss,  who  left  the  hospital  to  join  in  the 
fight,  and  distinguished  himself  by  creeping  along  a 
wall  to  shoot  a  Zulu  who  was  firing  from  the  end. 

At  last  it  was  recognised  that  the  defenders  could 
not  hope  to  hold  this  rampart  long.  They  fell  back 
accordingly  behind  the  inner  defence  of  biscuit  boxes, 
after  two  hours  of  fighting. 

We  may  leave  them  there  for  a  little  time  while 
we  take  note  of  what  is  happening  at  the  hospital. 
Here  the  gallant  six  defenders  have  been  quickly 
reduced  to  four,  two  of  the  number  having  been 
killed  out  on  the  verandah.  Four  men  to  get  the 
patients  safely  out  of  the  building  which  the  Zulus 
have  rendered  untenable  by  firing  the  thatch ! 

Hook  and  John  Williams  come  to  the  front  first 
with  William  and  Eobert  Jones  (the  last  two  not  being 
related,  by  the  way).  As  the  Zulus  burst  in  the 
outer  doors  the  two  Jones  guard  these  entrances  with 
their  bayonets,  their  cartridges  being  expended.  It 
is  quick  work;  stabbing  and  thrusting  until  the 
pile  of  corpses  in  the  doorway  itself  helps  to  check 
the  rush.  This  gives  time  for  Hook  and  Williams  to 
carry  the  patients  from  the  first  room  to  an  inner 
one. 

There  are  four  apartments  to  be  gone  through 
before  the  sick  men  can  be  carried  out  to  the  shelter 
of  the  barricade,  for    the    inner  rooms  do  not  com- 


i84  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

municate  directly  with  the  outside.  Holes  have  to 
be  made  in  the  partitions,  and  the  poor  sufferers 
passed  through  these  in  turn. 

Driven  back  and  back,  Hook  finds  himself  suddenly 
in  a  room  where  there  are  several  patients.  Then  a 
wounded  man  comes  in  with  a  bullet  hole  in  his  arm 
which  has  to  be  bound  up.  A  minute  later  John 
Williams  appears — John  Williams  who  has  just  seen 
his  brother  Joseph  hauled  out  and  assegaied  before 
his  eyes,  and  who  is  now  a  still  more  dangerous  man 
to  deal  with. 

Williams  breaks  a  hole  in  the  partition  with  his 
bayonet,  and  whilst  he  does  this  Hook  takes  his  stand 
at  the  door.  A  few  moments  later  the  rush  comes. 
There  is  a  fierce  hammering  at  the  door,  it  gives  way, 
and  the  sturdy  Gloucester  private  drops  the  first 
man  to  enter.  Shooting  and  lunging  with  his  bayonet, 
he  soon  accounts  for  four  or  five.  Assegais  fly  past, 
but  only  one  touches  him,  inflicting  a  scalp  wound. 
One  Zulu  seizes  his  rifle  and  tries  to  drag  it  away, 
but  while  they  are  tussling  Hook  slips  in  a  cartridge, 
pulls  the  trigger,  and  another  body  is  added  to  the 
heap  at  his  feet. 

Every  now  and  then  a  Zulu  makes  a  rush  to  get 
through,  for  the  narrow  entrance  admits  one  man 
only  at  a  time;  but  none  pass  the  grim  figure  on 
guard  there.  And  when  all  the  patients  have  been 
got  out  save  one  who  has  a  broken  leg,  Hook  makes 
a  jump  for  the  hole  himself,  and  gets  through,  dragging 
the  last  wounded  man  after  him — "  in  doing  which," 
he  says,  "  I  broke  his  leg  again  ! " 

From  this  last  room  a  window  opens  out  on  to  the 
biscuit-box  defences.  The  patients  are  quickly  passed 
out  to  willing  hands  below,  the  while  Hook  with  his 


HOW  THEY  HELD  RORKE'S  DRIFT        185 

reddened  bayonet  stands  by  the  hole  in  the  wall  to 
see  that  no  Zulu  follows.  Then,  still  sticking  to  his 
particular  charge,  he  drags  him  out  and  takes  up  a 
position  behind  the  barricade  to  do  some  more  useful 
work  there  before  the  morning  dawns.  Of  the 
twenty-three  wounded  who  were  in  the  hospital 
twenty  have  been  saved.  The  remaining  three  are 
believed  to  have  wandered  back,  delirious  from  fever, 
into  the  rooms  that  had  been  cleared. 

Although  Hook  and  Williams  have  escaped  injury 
of  any  serious  nature,  the  gallant  Welshman,  Eobert 
Jones,  has  not  been  so  fortunate.  Three  assegais  have 
struck  him  in  the  body.  He  and  his  namesake 
William,  as  I  have  said,  have  been  most  busy  in  the 
front  of  the  building,  and  how  many  Zulus  they  have 
put  to  their  account  is  not  known,  but  the  number  is 
large  judging  from  the  heaps  of  dead  warriors  whose 
bodies  are  found  in  the  ruins  of  the  building  next 
day. 

In  this  last  stage  of  the  rescue  of  the  wounded 
William  Allen  and  Frederick  Hitch,  fellow-soldiers  of 
the  24th  Regiment  (to  which,  by  the  way,  the  four 
brave  privates  above-named  belong),  make  good  their 
claim  to  glory.  Taking  up  an  exposed  position  on 
some  steps  leading  to  a  granary,  these  two  men  keep 
the  ground  clear  between  the  burning  hospital  and 
the  barricade,  their  accurate  fire  making  it  certain 
death  for  a  Zulu  to  venture  near. 

By  their  courageous  stand,  for  which  they  pay 
dearly,  every  one  of  the  rescued  twenty  is  brought 
into  safety.  And  even  when  incapacitated  by  their 
wounds  from  taking  part  in  the  fighting,  the  two 
brave  fellows  stand  by  all  night  to  serve  out  ammuni- 
tion to  their  comrades. 


i86  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

At  the  rampart  of  biscuit  boxes  were  several 
vacant  places  ere  the  first  beams  of  light  showed  in 
the  sky.  Where  Hook  knelt  three  men  had  previously 
been  shot.  But  under  the  cool  direction  of  Chard, 
Bromhead,  and  Assistant-Commissary  Dalton,  another 
of  the  garrison,  the  line  of  defenders  kept  up  a  deadly 
fire  against  the  Zulus  which  stayed  the  rushes  time 
and  time  again,  and  drove  back  the  picked  warriors  of 
Cetewayo's  army  to  the  shelter  of  their  rocks  and  ant- 
heaps.  Thirteen  hours  in  all  the  fight  lasted,  until 
the  Zulus  drew  ofif,  baffled,  beaten. 

Several  times  they  had  seemed  to  be  retiring,  but 
after  renewed  war-dances  and  that  stamping  of  the 
earth  peculiar  to  Zulu  warriors,  accompanied  with 
much  shouting  and  waving  of  assegais,  they  came  on 
again  with  a  fierce  yell  of  "  Usutu ! "  which  is  a  far 
more  fearsome  cry  to  hear  in  battle  than  the  war- 
whoop  of  the  painted  Sioux.  At  last,  just  after  four 
a.m.,  there  was  a  long  pause,  and  then  the  impis  were 
seen  to  sullenly  roll  back  out  of  sight  behind  the 
Oscarberg. 

The  grim,  smoke-blackened  defenders  peered  won- 
deringly  after  them  from  behind  the  barricade,  hardly 
believing  that  the  host  was  actually  in  retreat.  But 
such  was  the  case.  After  some  time,  those  who  went 
out  to  reconnoitre  and  look  for  the  wounded  saw  no 
signs  of  the  enemy.  The  Zulus  had  gone,  leaving 
some  350  dead  behind  them.  On  our  side  the  losses 
were  but  fifteen,  though  two  of  the  wounded  died 
afterwards. 

With  the  fear  of  a  renewed  attack  later  on,  the 
weary  soldiers  laid  their  rifles  aside,  and  at  once  began 
to  strengthen  the  defences  where  they  had  been 
broken  down.     Lest  the  store-building  itself  should 


HOW  THEY  HELD  RORKE'S  DRIFT        187 

be  threatened  with  fire,  they  set  to  work  to  remove 
the  thatch  from  its  roof,  and  while  engaged  in  doing 
so  the  watchers  announced  that  another  large  body  of 
Zulus  were  in  sight  some  distance  to  the  south-west. 
Immediately  the  men  flew  to  their  stations,  but  the 
alarm  fortunately  turned  out  to  be  a  false  one.  The 
enemy,  after  advancing  a  little  way,  swung  round 
and  disappeared  behind  the  hills.  They  had  seen  the 
column  under  Lord  Chelmsford  marching  towards  the 
drift,  and  had  had  their  stomachful  of  fighting. 

A  little  later  the  British  force,  which  had  seen  the 
flames  of  the  burning  hospital  as  far  off  as  Isandhlana 
and  had  marched  from  the  fatal  camp  to  relieve  their 
comrades  at  Korke's  Drift,  came  round  the  Oscarberg, 
to  be  greeted  with  wild  cheers  and  waving  of  helmets. 

"  Men,"  said  the  General,  as  he  surveyed  the  group 
before  him  and  heard  the  story  of  their  great  stand, 
"  I  thank  you  all  for  your  gallant  defence." 

It  was  not  a  moment  for  fine  speeches.  The  hearts 
of  all  present  were  too  full  to  find  utterance  in  words. 
But  every  man  knew  what  was  in  Lord  Chelmsford's 
heart  as  he  thanked  them  simply  for  himself  and  for 
his  country. 

For  that  defence,  gallant  indeed,  eleven  Crosses 
were  awarded,  to  Lieutenants  Chard  and  Bromhead, 
to  Assistant- Commissary  Dalton,  Corporals  Allen  and 
Schiess,  Privates  Hook,  Williams,  Hitch,  and  W.  and 
E.  Jones,  and  to  Surgeon-Major  Eeynolds,  whom  I 
have  not  mentioned  in  my  account,  but  who  showed 
great  devotion  to  the  wounded  under  fire. 

Private  Henry  Hook,  one  of  the  principal  heroes  of 
the  defence,  was  called  up  at  once  before  Lord  Chelms- 
ford, just  as  he  was,  in  shirt  sleeves  and  with  his 
braces  hanging  down  behind,  to  receive  the  General's 


i88  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

praise  for  his  conduct.  He  was  the  only  one  of  the 
eleven  to  receive  his  V.C.  at  Rorke's  Drift,  on  the 
very  scene  of  his  gallantry,  Sir  Garnet  Wolseley 
pinning  the  little  bronze  Cross  on  to  Hook's  breast 
with  his  own  hands  on  the  following  3rd  of  August. 

Until  a  few  years  ago  Hook  was  a  familiar  figure 
to  frequenters  of  the  British  Museum  Reading  Room, 
where,  on  retiring  from  the  service,  he  obtained  an 
appointment. 

Of  the  rest,  Lieutenant  Bromhead  died  in  1891,  and 
Lieutenant  (afterwards  Colonel)  Chard  in  1897.  I 
find  only  the  names  of  Brigadier-Surgeon  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  J.  H.  Reynolds,  and  Privates  J.  Williams, 
F.  Hitch,  and  W.  Jones,  in  the  list  of  surviving  re- 
cipients. To  those  who  have  the  opportunity  I  would 
say,  seek  out  these  heroes  while  they  are  still  in  the 
land  of  the  living  and  hear  from  their  lips,  if  they 
can  be  led  to  speak,  the  full  story  of  Rorke's  Drift, 
which  I  feel  I  have  told  but  baldly  here. 


CHAPTER    XXII. 

SOME  OTHER  ZULU  AND  SOME  BASUTO  CROSSES. 

THE  progress  of  the  Zulu  campaign  was  marked  by 
many  ups  and  downs  before  reinforcements 
arrived  to  strengthen  Lord  Chelmsford's  force  and  a 
crushing  defeat  could  be  inflicted  upon  the  enemy  at 
Cetewayo's  capital,  Ulundi.  But,  though  our  troops 
sometimes  found  themselves  in  a  tight  corner,  the 
disaster  of  Isandhlana  was  fortunately  not  repeated. 
The  lesson  of  that  fatal  blunder  had  been  learned. 

Of  the  columns  besides  that  which  Lord  Chelmsford 
himself  led  into  Zululand,  the  one  commanded  by 
Colonel  Pearson  had  met  with  some  success.  This 
officer  had  been  despatched  to  a  post  near  the  mouth 
of  the  Tugela,  in  the  south-east  corner  of  Zululand. 
Marching  into  the  country,  he  fought  a  decisive  action 
by  the  Inyezani  River,  and  occupied  Eshowe. 

The  remaining  column  under  Colonel  Evelyn  Wood, 
marching  to  a  station  on  the  Upper  Blood  River, 
established  its  base  on  the  Kambula  Hill.  From 
this  force  a  small  garrison  was  provided  for  the 
town  of  Luneberg,  and  it  was  in  connection  with 
this  post  that  another  V.C.  was  pluckily  won  on 
the  12th  of  March. 

News  coming  of  a  convoy  of  supplies  being  on  its 

way    to    Luneberg,   Captain    Moriarty    went   out    to 

189 


I90  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

meet  it  with  a  detachment  of  the  80th  (2nd  Batt. 
S.  Staffordshire)  Kegiment.  The  convoy,  or  rather 
the  first  part  of  it,  was  met  by  the  Intombi  River. 
Here  a  laager  was  formed,  and  the  escort  was 
divided  into  two  sections,  one  on  each  side  of  the 
river.  Seventy-one  men  were  on  the  left  bank  with 
Captain  Moriarty,  while  on  the  opposite  bank  were 
thirty-five  under  Lieutenant  Harward. 

During  the  night  of  the  11th  of  March,  while  both 
of  the  little  camps  were  sleeping  soundly  in  their 
tents,  a  thick  fog  rolled  up,  and  with  it  came  a 
Zulu  impi.  Soon  after  daybreak  a  sentry  in  Moriarty's 
camp  gave  the  alarm.  Orders  were  promptly 
given  for  the  soldiers  to  stand  to  their  arms,  but 
ere  this  could  be  done  the  Zulus  were  upon  them. 
Nearly  all  the  men  on  the  left  bank  were  massacred 
as  they  came  flying  from  their  tents,  their  captain 
being  almost  the  first  to  fall. 

On  the  other  side  of  the  river  the  soldiers  had  had 
time  to  arm,  and  they  quickly  opened  fire  upon  the 
enemy.  A  number  of  the  Zulus  now  swam  across 
the  river,  although  it  was  much  swollen  by  the 
rains,  and  seeing  this  Lieutenant  Harward  did  what 
has  always  been  characterised  as  a  very  cowardly 
thing.  He  left  his  men  to  take  care  of  themselves, 
and  galloped  off  to  Luneberg.  His  defence  at  the 
court-martial  which  was  subsequently  held  upon 
him  was  that  he  rode  away  for  help,  and  on  some 
technicality  he  was  acquitted.  Lord  Chelmsford, 
however,  plainly  showed  that  he  disagreed  with  the 
Court's  decision. 

In  the  meantime,  while  their  officer  took  to  his 
heels,  Sergeant  Booth  rallied  the  men  and  assumed 
command.     For  three  miles   the  sergeant   fell    back 


SOME  ZULU  AND  BASUTO  CROSSES     191 

slowly  with  his  little  company,  fighting  the  enemy 
all  the  time  and  keeping  them  at  a  respectful 
distance.  And  he  brought  the  whole  of  the  thirty- 
five  safe  into  Luneberg,  not  a  single  man  of  them 
having  been  killed!  For  this  conspicuous  action 
Booth  was  soon  afterwards  decorated  with  the  Cross 
for  Valour. 

At  the  storming  of  the  Inhlobane  Mountain  near 
Kambula,  a  fortnight  after  the  above  event,  several 
more  V.C.'s  were  won  in  an  exceptionally  gallant 
manner.  Colonel  Wood,  as  has  been  said,  had  his 
camp  on  the  Kambula  Hill.  Anticipating  an  attack 
from  the  Zulus,  who  were  on  the  Inhlobane,  he 
decided  to  strike  first,  and  despatched  a  little  force 
under  Colonel  Eedvers  BuUer  with  instructions  to 
surprise  the  enemy  and  dislodge  them.  The  attack 
was  delivered  on  the  night  of  the  27th  and  the 
morning  of  the  28th  of  March. 

Leading  his  men,  who  were  mostly  colonials  of  the 
Frontier  Light  Horse,  and  loyal  natives,  Buller 
climbed  up  the  steep  side  of  the  mountain  in  the 
mist,  and  with  a  brilliant  rush  drove  the  Zulus 
from  their  little  stone  forts.  The  stronghold  was 
captured,  but  the  flying  warriors  took  refuge  in 
the  numerous  caves  with  which  the  place  abounded, 
and  great  difficulty  was  experienced  in  routing  them 
out  of  these. 

One  party,  whose  fire  caused  some  havoc  among 
the  troops,  had  found  a  particularly  well-sheltered 
position.  It  was  clear  that  they  would  have  to  be 
dislodged.  Certain  orders,  it  is  said,  were  given  for 
this  cave  to  be  stormed,  but,  chafing  at  the  delay 
that  occurred.  Captain  the  Hon.  Kobert  Campbell 
of    the  Coldstreams,  with    Lieutenant  Henry  Lysons 


192  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

of  the  Cameronians  (Scottish  Eifles)  and  Private 
Edmond  Fowler,  of  the  Perthshire  Light  Infantry, 
dashed  forward  to  undertake  the  difficult  task. 
Many  fallen  boulders  and  thick  clumps  of  bushes 
impeded  their  path,  and,  to  add  to  the  hazard  of 
the  attempt,  the  approach  to  the  cave  led  between 
two  walls  of  rock  where  the  passage  was  so  narrow 
that  they  had  to  walk  in  single  file. 

Campbell  took  the  post  of  honour  at  the  head 
of  the  dauntless  three  and  was  shot  at  the  mouth 
of  the  cave.  Leaping  over  his  lifeless  body,  the 
lieutenant  and  Fowler  sprang  into  the  gloomy  cavern, 
killing  several  Zulus  with  their  first  shots.  A  number 
of  subterranean  passages  opened  out  from  the  entrance, 
and  through  these  the  majority  of  the  cave's  occupants 
escaped  to  a  chasm  below.  Here  they  found  them- 
selves exposed  to  the  fire  of  the  two  marksmen  above, 
and  in  quick  time  retreated  down  the  hill. 

Their  mission  accomplished,  Lysons  and  Fowler 
returned  to  their  comrades  to  be  congratulated  on 
their  success  and  recommended  for  the  V.C,  which 
was  in  due  course  bestowed  upon  them. 

While  these  clearing  operations  were  being  per- 
formed, however,  the  Zulus  had  received  large 
reinforcements,  and  Colonel  Buller  saw  that  he  was 
in  danger  of  being  trapped  on  the  mountain  top.  So 
he  ordered  his  force  to  return  down  the  hillside  to 
rejoin  the  main  body. 

But  for  their  colonel's  exertions  and  noble  dis- 
regard of  self,  the  retreat  might  soon  have  become 
a  rout.  As  the  soldiers  fell  back,  the  Zulus  swarmed 
up  and  over  the  top  of  the  mountain  and  threw  them- 
selves desperately  upon  the  handful  of  white  men  in 
the  endeavour  to  cut  them  off.     Many  deeds  of  valour 


»    ^  Z    •*   1 » 


THE   COLONEL   HAD   TO   RIDE   BACK    .    .    .    AND,    WHILE   ASSEGAIS 
AND    SHOTS   Sl'ED   PAST   HIM,    CARKY   OFF   THE   DISMOUNTED 

MAN  ui'ONT  HIS  MO KHb:.  — Page  193. 


SOME  ZULU  AND  BASUTO  CROSSES     193 

were  now  performed,  BuUer  himself  saving  no  fewer 
than  six  lives,  among  those  he  rescued  being  Captain 
D'Arcy  of  the  Frontier  Light  Horse,  Lieutenant 
Everitt,  and  a  trooper  of  the  same  company.  For 
each  of  these  three  the  brave  colonel  had  to  ride 
back  towards  the  advancing  Zulus,  and,  while  assegais 
and  shots  sped  past  him,  carry  off  the  dismounted  man 
upon  his  horse., 

Eedvers  Buller  is  "  Sir  Henry  "  now,  a  General  and 
a  G.C.B.  among  other  distinctions,  but  I  think  he  is 
prouder  of  none  of  his  honours  more  than  the  bronze 
Maltese  Cross  which  he  wears  on  his  breast  for  his 
bravery  that  day  at  Inhlobane  Mountain.  And  seldom, 
indeed,  has  the  V.C.  been  better  deserved. 

At  the  same  time  Lieutenant  E.  S.  Browne  (a 
South  Wales  Borderer)  and  Major  William  Leet,  of 
the  Somersets,  gained  the  decoration  for  acts  of 
heroism  of  a  similar  nature,  Browne  having  two  lives 
placed  to  his  credit. 

The  seventh  of  the  Zulu  Crosses  which  I  have 
space  to  note  in  this  chapter  was  awarded  to  that 
truly  gallant  soldier  the  late  Lord  William  de  la  Poer 
Beresford.  Wherever  there  was  fighting  going  on 
Beresford  of  the"  9th  Lancers  was  bound  to  be  in  it. 
Only  eight  months  previously,  during  the  Afghan 
campaign,  he  had  joined  Sir  Samuel  Browne 
(another  V.C.  hero)  in  the  famous  march  through 
the  Khyber  Pass,  having  obtained  a  month's  leave 
from  the  Viceroy,  on  whose  staff  he  served  as  aide- 
de-camp. 

How  he  won  his  Cross  in  Zululand  was  character- 
istic of  Lord  William's  impetuous  courage.  With  a 
scouting  party  he  had  ventured  across  the  White 
Umvolosi  Eiver  to  discover  what  the  enemy's  movements 
13 


194  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

were  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Ulundi.  They  made  their 
way  safely  for  some  distance  through  the  long  grass 
when  suddenly  a  number  of  Zulus,  who  had  been 
lying  in  ambush,  sprang  to  their  feet  and  poured  a 
deadly  volley  into  the  party. 

Two  of  the  troopers  were  killed  instantly,  but  a 
third  man  who  fell  (Sergeant  Fitzmaurice)  was  seen 
to  raise  himself  up  from  the  ground  where  he  lay  by 
the  side  of  his  dead  horse.  Of  the  retreating  scouts 
Lord  William  Beresford  was  the  nearest  to  the  Zulus, 
and  without  a  moment's  hesitation  he  turned  his  horse 
and  galloped  back  to  the  fallen  man. 

The  story  goes — and  there  is  no  reason  whatever 
to  disbelieve  it — that  Beresford  flung  himself  from  his 
horse  and  bade  Fitzmaurice  mount.  The  sergeant 
refused  to  do  so,  telling  his  would-be  rescuer  to  save 
himself.  Then  the  plucky  Irishman  seized  Fitzmaurice 
by  the  shoulder  and  swore  that  he  would  punch  the 
other's  head  if  he  didn't  do  as  he  was  told ;  whereupon 
with  some  difficulty  the  sergeant  was  hoisted  up  into 
the  saddle,  Beresford  mounting  after  him. 

During  the  altercation  the  Zulus  had  come  within 
a  few  yards  of  the  couple,  and  Beresford's  horse  only 
just  managed  to  get  away  in  time.  Even  as  it  was, 
it  is  possible  that  they  would  both  have  been  assegaied 
had  not  Sergeant  O'Toole,  another  Irishman,  ridden 
out  towards  them  and  with  his  revolver  checked  the 
Zulus'  rush. 

When  Lord  William  heard  that  the  V.C.  was  to 
be  awarded  him  for  that  exploit  he  asked  whether  the 
sergeant  had  been  recommended  for  the  distinction, 
and  on  learning  that  this  was  not  the  case  refused  to 
accept  the  honour  unless  it  was  also  given  to  the 
other.     This  made  due  impression  at   headquarters, 


SOME  ZULU  AND  BASUTO  CROSSES     195 

and    soon   after    G'Toole's    name    appeared    in    the 
Gazette  together  with  that  of  Beresford. 

Lord  William  met  with  a  sad  end  to  his  career. 
As  may  be  remembered,  he  died  in  1900  from  the 
effects  of  an  accident  received  in  the  hunting-field. 

With  the  V.C.'s  won  in  Zululand  I  may  well  couple 
those  which  were  gained  in  the  brief  Basuto  rebellion 
of  1879.  The  Basutos,  an  offshoot  of  the  Bechuanas 
and  a  very  warlike  race,  believed  themselves  to  be 
threatened  with  a  British  invasion  from  Natal,  and 
took  up  arms.  A  punitive  force  from  the  colony  had 
therefore  to  restore  them  to  order. 

One  or  two  encounters  with  the  rebels  taught  the 
latter  a  severe  lesson,  but  retreating  to  the  hills  they 
made  a  determined  stand  upon  a  mountain  called  after 
their  chief,  Moirosi.  This  stronghold  the  Basutos 
made  almost  impregnable  by  a  long  series  of  stockades 
on  the  one  side  of  the  mountain  that  was  accessible. 
On  the  other  three  sides  it  was  perfectly  perpendicular. 

After  several  vain  attempts  this  stronghold  was 
successfully  stormed,  Moirosi  himself  being  shot  and 
large  numbers  of  Basutos  captured.  What  a  terrible 
task  the  Colonials  had  in  fighting  their  way  up  the 
steep  slope  will  be  understood  when  I  say  that  the 
troops  had  to  storm  some  twelve  or  fourteen  of  the 
high  stone  walls,  or  stockades,  which  the  Basutos  had 
erected,  the  walls  being  loopholed  for  rifles. 

In  the  ascent  Trooper  P.  Brown  and  Sergeant 
Kobert  Scott,  both  of  the  Cape  Mounted  Eifles,  did 
deeds  of  daring  which  singled  them  out  from  their 
comrades  for  distinction.  The  former  left  his  cover 
under  a  most  heavy  fire  to  carry  his  water  bottle  to 
some  wounded  men  who  were  crying  piteously  for 


196  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

water.  He  was  wounded  twice  as  he  was  in  the  act 
of  stooping  over  the  sufferers,  one  of  the  enemy's 
bullets  shattering  his  right  arm  and  rendering  it 
permanently  useless. 

Sergeant  Scott  was  a  no  less  brave  man,  though  his 
exploit  was  of  a  different  kind.  At  one  barricade  that 
the  troops  reached  the  fire  was  so  merciless  that  it 
seemed  impossible  to  advance  against  it.  But  the 
sergeant  thought  of  a  way  out  of  the  difficulty.  The 
enemy  must  be  dislodged  from  their  position  by  fuse 
shells.  Volunteering  for  the  dangerous  work,  he  took 
some  shells  and  ran  swiftly  towards  the  barricade.  As 
has  happened  often  before  when  one  desperate  man 
takes  his  life  thus  in  his  hands  and  braves  a  hundred, 
he  escaped  being  hit.  Then,  crouching  under  the  wall, 
he  tried  to  throw  a  shell  over  into  the  midst  of  the 
Basutos. 

The  first  attempt  failed,  but  the  second  succeeded. 
Taking  a  third  shell,  he  flung  this  after  the  others, 
but  owing  to  some  faulty  adjustment  of  the  fuse  it 
burst  almost  immediately  after  leaving  his  hands. 
The  explosion  was  terrible.  One  hand  of  the  sergeant 
— his  right  one — was  completely  shattered,  and  he 
received  a  severe  wound  in  his  right  leg.  Fortunately 
for  his  comrades,  he  had  ordered  his  party  to  retire 
under  cover,  a  precaution  which  undoubtedly  saved 
many  lives. 

The  sergeant's  daring  feat  enabled  the  troops  to 
drive  the  Basutos  from  the  position  without  much 
further  difficulty,  and  when  he  recovered  from  his 
wounds  the  V.C.  was  awarded  him. 

With  Scott  and  Trooper  Brown  must  be  bracketed 
a  third  V.C.  hero  of  that  attack  on  Moirosi's  Mountain 
— brave   Surgeon-Major  Edmund  Baron  Hartley,  of 


SOME  ZULU  AND  BASUTO  CROSSES     197 

the  same  corps.  His  Cross  was  won  for  particular 
gallantry  in  tending  the  wounded  under  fire,  and  in 
going  out  in  the  open  to  bring  in  Corporal  Jones,  who, 
poor  fellow,  was  lying  badly  hit  only  a  few  yards  from 
the  Basutos'  stockade.  Surgeon  Hartley  worthily 
upholds  the  traditions  of  that  noble  brotherhood  we 
have  already  seen  doing  their  duty  in  the  Crimea,  in 
India,  and  elsewhere.  All  honour  to  the  brave  Army 
doctors ! 


CHAPTEE   XXIII. 

SOUTH   AFRICA. AGAINST    BOERS   AND    MATABELE. 

THE  first  Boer  War  of  1881  reHected  little  credit 
on  the  British  arms,  with  its  disastrous  reverses 
at  Laing's  Nek  and  Majuba ;  but  it  added  some  names 
to  the  roll  of  V.C.  heroes  which  call  for  special 
mention. 

I  do  not  propose  to  enter  into  the  history  of  the 
war  here  or  discuss  its  justness.  Briefly,  it  arose  from 
the  refusal  of  the  Boers  to  surrender  the  Transvaal  as 
a  part  of  the  projected  South  African  Federation. 
Far  from  being  reconciled  to  British  rule,  the  Boers 
were  united  in  wishing  to  maintain  their  independence, 
and  at  the  end  of  1880  they  resorted  to  arms, 
proclaiming  a  Kepublic. 

The  command  of  the  British  force  which  was  sent 
into  the  field  was  given  to  General  Sir  George 
Pomeroy  Colley,  a  veteran  of  many  wars.  On 
January  28th,  1881,  a  large  force  of  Boers  invaded 
Natal,  and  were  encountered  at  Laing's  Nek,  a  frontier 
mountain  pass  some  twenty-four  miles  from  Newcastle, 
with  the  result  that  General  Colley  was  repulsed  with 
heavy  loss. 

Laing's  Nek,  which  takes  its  name  from  a  deserted 
farm  on  the  heights  above  the  upper  stream  of  the 
Buffalo,  forms  a  most  important  position,  a  large  table- 

198 


AGAINST  BOERS  AND  MATABELE        199 

land  at  the  summit  giving  the  command  of  the  plains 
below.  It  was  to  this  particular  point  that  the 
British  general  advanced.  But  the  Boers  had  taken 
advantage  of  the  mountain  spurs  and  the  low  hills 
which  flanked  the  steep  winding  road  leading  to  the 
summit,  and  were  able  to  concentrate  a  murderous  fire 
upon  our  troops.  Every  effort  was  made  to  continue 
the  advance,  Major  Brownlow  leading  a  splendid 
charge  of  the  Mounted  Squadron,  in  which  he  had  his 
horse  shot  under  him,  but  it  was  in  vain.  Very 
slowly,  for  the  Boers  pressed  hard  upon  them,  the 
troops  fell  back. 

Then  it  was  that  Lieutenant  Alan  Hill  won  his 
V.C.  for  a  gallant  action.  Out  in  the  open  ground, 
knocked  over  by  a  Boer  bullet,  lay  Lieutenant  Baillie 
of  his  own  regiment  (the  58th).  Eunning  to  the 
wounded  man.  Hill  tried  to  lift  him  into  his  saddle, 
but  finding  this  too  difficult  a  feat  he  carried  him  in 
his  arms  along  the  narrow  road,  until  another  bullet 
put  Baillie  out  of  his  misery.  A  little  later  the 
lieutenant  turned  to  face  the  heavy  fire  of  the 
Boers  again,  and  this  time  succeeded  in  bringing 
back  two  wounded  privates  to  safety,  himself  escaping 
as  if  by  a  miracle. 

Very  cool  and  brave,  too,  was  Private  John  Doogan 
of  the  1st  Dragoon  Guards.  Servant  to  Major 
Brownlow,  he  rode  close  to  that  officer  in  the  charge 
of  the  Mounted  Squadron.  When  the  major  was 
dismounted  and  almost  surrounded  by  Boers,  Doogan 
rode  up  and  jumped  off  his  horse. 

"  Take  my  horse,  sir,"  he  said,  "  and  ride  off  while 
there's  time." 

The  major  refused,  and  with  still  more  determina- 
tion when  Doogan  was  wounded  as  he  stood  urging 


200  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

his  master  to  mount ;  but  although  the  enemy  were 
close  on  them  both  men  escaped  capture.  For  that 
act  of  devotion  Private  Doogan  was  decorated  in 
due  course. 

Just  a  month  later  occurred  the  fight  on  Majuba 
Hill.  Colley's  object  in  occupying  this  position  was 
to  render  the  Boers'  occupation  of  Laing's  Nek 
untenable,  but  he  was  again  unsuccessful,  losing  his 
own  life  in  the  attempt.  The  story  of  his  night 
march  up  the  hill  and  the  death-trap  into  which  he 
fell  need  not  be  retold.  It  is  a  disaster  one  does  not 
care  to  dwell  upon. 

Against  the  gloom,  however,  one  or  two  isolated 
acts  of  bravery  shine  out  prominently.  That  gallant 
soldier  Hector  Macdonald,  then  a  sergeant  in  the 
92nd  Highlanders,  won  a  commission  through  his 
prowess  there,  and  Lance- Corporal  Farmer,  of  the 
Hospital  Corps,  a  V.C. 

When  Surgeon  Arthur  Landon  stopped  behind  the 
retreating  soldiers  to  dress  the  wounds  of  the  fallen 
men  around  him,  Corporal  Farmer  and  another 
man  stood  by  his  side  to  assist.  To  their  shame,  be 
it  said,  the  Boers  fired  upon  the  little  group, 
hitting  the  surgeon,  the  wounded  man,  and  Farmer's 
comrade. 

Thinking  to  stop  the  cowards,  the  corporal  waved  a 
bandage  in  the  air  to  show  that  he  was  engaged  in  an 
act  of  mercy.  But  it  had  no  effect.  Their  rifles 
cracked  again,  and  the  bandage  fell  as  Farmer's  right 
wrist  was  struck. 

"  I've  got  another  arm  ! "  he  shouted,  stooping  to 
pick  up  the  bandage  with  his  left  hand  and  raising  it 
on  high.  But  the  Boers  shot  at  him  yet  once  more 
and  with  deadly  effect,  shattering  the  elbow  joint  of 


AGAINST  BOERS  AND  MATABELE        201 

his  arm.     After  which  the  brave  fellow  gave  up  trying 
to  teach  humanity  to  such  savages. 

There  were  other  Crosses  gained  in  that  brief  but 
inglorious  campaign  against  the  Transvaal  Boers — at 
Elandsfontein  and  at  Wesselstroom  ;  but  I  must  pass 
on  to  tell  of  some  acts  of  valour  performed  in  another 
South  African  war  of  rather  later  date.  In  1896 
a  serious  rebellion  broke  out  among  the  Matabele, 
who  had  been  living  peaceably  under  the  rule  of  the 
Chartered  Company  for  three  years,  and  but  for  the 
prompt  action  of  the  Colonials  in  Khodesia  the  con- 
sequences might  have  been  far  more  terrible  than  they 
were. 

The  causes  of  that  rebellion  are  not  hard  to  seek. 
Generally  speaking,  it  is  said  to  have  originated  in  the 
stringent  measures  enforced  against  the  cattle  plague, 
the  rinderpest,  which  was  sweeping  through  the 
country;  but  there  were  other  and  deeper  reasons 
why  the  Matabele  rose.  Since  their  subjection  in 
1893,  after  Lo  Bengula  was  defeated,  the  natives  had 
been  compelled  to  perform  a  certain  amount  of  labour 
— paid  labour — annually,  and  had  had  to  pay  a  very 
large  fine  in  cattle.  All  this  bore  heavily  upon  them. 
They  chafed  under  the  disgrace  of  being  a  conquered 
people,  they  who  had  been  a  great  warlike  nation ; 
and  only  awaited  a  favourable  opportunity  to  throw  off 
the  yoke. 

The  opportunity  came  in  1896,  after  Dr.  Jameson, 
starting  on  his  famous  Eaid,  had  withdrawn  the  police 
force  of  Ehodesia,  with  most  of  the  big  guns  and 
munitions  of  war.  Believing  the  white  settlers  to 
be  at  their  mercy  now,  the  Matabele  chiefs,  who  had 
been  maturing  their  plans,  gave  the  signal  to  rise,  and 


202  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

immediately  the  civilised  world  was  horrified  by  a 
series  of  terrible  massacres,  far  exceeding  any  that  had 
taken  place  in  the  1893  rebellion.  Within  the  short 
space  of  a  week  not  a  white  person  was  left  alive  in 
the  outlying  districts  of  Matabeleland.  Men,  women, 
and  children,  whole  families  in  some  instances,  were 
wiped  out. 

Prompt  action  was  necessary  to  deal  with  the  rising. 
As  quickly  as  possible  a  strong  laager  was  formed  at 
Bulawayo,  the  chief  town,  and  a  corps  of  mounted  men 
enlisted.  The  nucleus  of  this  force  was  a  little  com- 
pany of  twenty-three  Ehodesians,  got  together  by 
Captain  Grey  and  known  throughout  the  war  as 
Grey's  Scouts.  The  rest  of  the  body  comprised 
troopers  from  the  Africander  Corps  and  various 
Khodesia  Horse  Volunteers. 

Fine  fellows  were  these;  hard  as  nails,  and  the 
best  riders  and  best  shots  in  the  colony.  For  three 
months,  until  the  arrival  of  imperial  troops,  they 
harried  the  Matabele  without  mercy,  holding  their  own 
against  tremendous  odds.  In  this  campaign  the 
fighting  was  very  different  from  that  experienced  in 
the  former  war.  The  natives  had  learned  the  futility 
of  attacking  fortified  places,  and  the  engagements  were 
fought  out  in  the  bush. 

Many  a  tale  is  told  of  gallant  rescues  of  isolated 
settlers  who  were  in  danger  of  being  annihilated  at 
this  time,  and  many  an  instance  is  recorded  of  splendid 
devotion  shown  to  each  other  by  the  Colonials.  "  Never 
desert  your  comrade,"  was  the  motto  of  the  troopers, 
and  faithfully  did  they  live  up  to  it.  Witness  the 
story  of  Trooper  Henderson. 

Hearing  that  a  party  of  whites  at  Inyati,  about 
forty  miles  from   Bulawayo,  were  in    peril,    Captain 


AGAINST  BOERS  AND  MATABELE       203 

Pittendrigh  rode  out  with  a  few  men  to  the  rescue, 
but  on  their  way  they  learned  that  their  errand  was 
vain ;  the  party  had  been  massacred.  A  body  of 
Matabele  having  been  encountered  during  the  journey, 
and  news  coming  of  a  large  impi  being  in  front,  the 
little  force  halted  at  a  store  by  the  Impembisi  Eiver 
near  the  Shiloh  hills.  Here  they  fortified  themselves 
against  attack  while  two  daring  despatch  riders 
hastened  back  to  Bulawayo  for  reinforcements. 

The  much-needed  help  came.  Early  the  next 
morning  thirty  men  of  the  Bulawayo  Field  Force 
galloped  up.  They  had  to  report  passing  through  a 
number  of  Matabele  at  Queen's  Keef,  in  the  vicinity, 
and  further  that  two  members  of  their  party  were 
missing,  Troopers  Celliers  and  Henderson.  The  mystery 
of  their  disappearance  was  not  cleared  up  until  three 
days  later,  when  both  men  came  into  Bulawayo, 
Celliers  wounded,  on  horseback,  and  Henderson,  much 
travel-stained,  on  foot. 

Celliers  told  the  story  of  their  adventures.  In  the 
affray  with  the  Matabele  at  Queen's  Eeef  his  horse  had 
been  shot  in  five  places  and  he  himself  badly  wounded 
in  the  knee.  Becoming  separated  from  their  comrades 
in  the  darkness,  the  two  men  had  hidden  in  the  bush. 
Then,  Celliers'  horse  having  dropped  dead  and  his 
wound  making  it  impossible  for  them  to  think  of 
followiug  the  others,  Henderson  placed  his  comrade 
on  his  horse  and  set  off  with  him  for  Bulawayo. 

Their  way  led  through  a  difficult  piece  of  country 
which  was  known  to  be  overrun  with  Matabele,  and 
Henderson  had  to  exercise  the  greatest  caution  in  pro- 
ceeding. Long  detours  had  to  be  made  ;  now  and  then, 
as  natives  were  sighted,  they  had  to  conceal  themselves 
among    the    hills.       But    though  some    parties    of 


204  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

Matabele  warriors  passed  unpleasantly  close,  the  two 
men  escaped  discovery.  For  three  whole  days  they 
wandered  thus,  without  food,  save  a  few  sour  plums, 
Celliers'  wound  all  the  time  causing  him  great  agony ; 
and  never  was  sight  more  welcome  than  when  the 
white  buildings  of  Bulawayo  greeted  their  eyes. 

That  plucky  rescue  brought  a  well-deserved 
Victoria  Cross  to  Trooper  Herbert  J.  Henderson, 
making  him  the  eighth  Colonial  to  receive  the  decora- 
tion. Celliers,  it  is  sad  to  record,  died  from  the  effects 
of  the  amputation  of  his  injured  leg. 

This  affair  of  the  Shiloh  patrol  occurred  in  March. 
In  April  there  was  a  brisk  action  fought  on  the 
Umguza  Eiver  by  Bisset's  Patrol,  among  whom  were 
twenty  of  Grey's  Scouts.  Mr.  F.  C.  Selous,  who 
accompanied  this  force  and  had  a  narrow  escape  of 
being  killed  by  the  Matabele,  tells  the  story  of  how 
Trooper  Frank  Baxter,  of  the  Scouts,  here  won  the 
V.C,  though  he  lost  his  life  in  doing  so. 

The  enemy  had  been  driven  from  their  position 
with  considerable  loss,  and  the  troops  were  retiring 
from  the  Umguza,  when  a  party  of  Matabele  warriors 
who  had  been  lying  in  ambush  to  the  left  of  the  line 
of  retreat  suddenly  opened  a  brisk  fire  upon  them. 
The  foremost  of  the  Scouts  galloped  past,  while 
Captain  Grey  and  a  few  of  those  in  the  rear  halted  to 
return  the  fire.  Trooper  Wise  was  the  first  to  be  hit, 
a  bullet  striking  him  in  the  back  as  he  was  in  the  act 
of  mounting.  His  horse  then  stumbled,  and  breaking 
away  galloped  back  to  town,  leaving  Wise  on  the 
ground. 

Seeing  the  other's  peril,  Baxter  immediately  reined  in 
his  horse,  sprang  down  and  lifted  the  wounded  man 
into  the  saddle.     Captain  Grey  and  Lieutenant  Hook 


AGAINST  BOERS  AND  MATABELE       205 

now  went  to  his  assistance,  and  got  Baxter  along  as 
fast  as  they  could ;  but  the  Matabele  came  leaping 
through  the  bush  and  closed  in  upon  them. 

Firing  at  close  range,  they  wounded  the  lieutenant 
and  almost  did  for  Grey,  the  captain  being  half  stunned 
by  a  bullet.  As  Baxter,  left  unprotected  for  the 
moment,  ran  on,  another  Scout,  with  the  picturesque 
name  of  "  Texas  "  Long,  went  to  his  assistance,  bidding 
him  hold  on  to  the  stirup  leather.  In  this  fashion 
Baxter  was  making  good  progress  towards  safety  when 
a  bullet  struck  him  in  the  side,  and  as  he  fell  to  the 
ground  the  savages  pounced  out  upon  him  with  their 
assegais.  He  was  killed  before  Long  or  any  other 
could  have  saved  him. 

If  to  lay  down  one's  life  for  a  friend  is  the  test  of 
true  heroism,  then  Trooper  Frank  Baxter  has  surely 
won  a  high  place  in  the  roll  of  our  honoured  dead. 

At  this  same  fight  on  the  Umguza  other  deeds  of 
valour  were  performed  of  which  no  official  recognition 
was  taken,  but  they  are  enshrined  in  the  memory  of 
the  colonists.  John  Grootboom,  a  loyal  Xosa  Kafir 
and  a  very  famous  character,  did  wonders ;  and 
Lieutenant  Fred  Crewe  saved  the  life  of  Lieutenant 
Hook  in  a  gallant  manner. 

Hook's  horse  was  shot  and  its  rider  thrown  to  the 
ground,  causing  him  to  lose  his  rifle. 

"  Why  don't  you  pick  it  up  ? "  asked  Crewe,  as  the 
other  came  hobbling  towards  him. 

"  I  can't ;  I'm  badly  wounded,"  was  the  answer. 

"  Are  you  wounded,  old  chap  ? "  said  Crewe.  "  Then 
take  my  horse,  and  I'll  try  and  get  out  of  it  on 
foot." 

And,  having  got  the  lieutenant  up  into  the  saddle, 
Crewe  slowly  won  his  way  back  through  the  Matabele, 


2o6  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

keeping  them  off  with  his  revolver,  and  being  hit  only 
by  a  knobkerry  which  caught  him  in  the  back. 

The  third  V.C.  of  the  campaign  was  won  by  Captain 
E.  C.  Nesbitt,  during  the  fighting  in  Mashonaland. 
A  party  of  miners  in  the  Mazoe  Valley  having  been 
attacked  by  the  natives,  a  patrol  rode  to  their  relief 
from  Salisbury,  but  was  unable  to  bring  them  away. 
On  the  19  th  of  June  Captain  Nesbitt  was  out  with  a 
patrol  of  thirteen  men  when  he  met  a  runner  from 
the  leader  of  the  refugees,  with  a  note  which  stated 
that  they  were  in  laager  and  urgently  in  need  of  help. 
A  relief  force  of  a  hundred  men  and  a  Maxim  gun 
was  asked  for.  The  captain  read  the  message  out  to 
his  men  and  proposed  that  they  should  try  and  rescue 
the  party,  to  which  the  troopers  readily  agreed. 
Sending  the  runner  on  to  Salisbury,  the  patrol  at 
once  turned  their  horses  in  the  direction  of  the 
Mazoe  Valley,  and  fought  their  way  through  the 
cordon  of  Mashonas  to  the  laager.  Then,  with  the 
three  women  of  the  party  in  an  armoured  waggon, 
they  started  on  the  return  journey,  and  after  some 
desperate  fighting  brought  them  all  safely  in  to 
Salisbury,  with  a  loss  of  only  three  men. 

Of  such  sons  as  these,  Henderson,  Baxter,  Crewe, 
and  Captain  Nesbitt,  Rhodesia  is  deservedly  proud. 
And  we  "  who  sit  at  home  at  ease  "  while  these  out- 
posts of  Empire  are  being  won  for  us,  may  well  be 
proud  too,  remembering  that  they  are  of  our  own 
blood,  Britons  in  that  Greater  Britain  across  the 
seas. 


CHAPTEK  XXIV. 

IN    EGYPT   AND    THE   SOUDAN. 

AEABI  PASHA'S  rebellion  in  Egypt  in  1882,  which 
was  quelled  by  the  British  army  under  Sir 
Garnet  (afterwards  Lord)  Wolseley,  was  notable 
chiefly  for  the  bombardment  of  Alexandria  and  the 
battle  of  Tel-el-Kebir.  At  Alexandria,  as  has  been 
noted  in  a  previous  chapter.  Gunner  Israel  Harding 
won  the  Cross  for  picking  up  a  live  shell  and  immers- 
ing it  in  water.  At  Tel-el-Kebir  and  at  Kafrdour 
the  two  other  V.C.'s  of  the  campaign  were  earned  in 
no  less  gallant  style. 

The  Kafrdour  hero  was  Private  Frederick  Corbett, 
of  the  King's  Eoyal  Kifle  Corps.  During  the  recon- 
naissance upon  this  village  the  leader  of  his  company, 
Lieutenant  Howard- Vyse,  was  mortally  wounded,  and 
Corbett  obtained  leave  to  remain  by  the  officer's  side 
while  the  others  went  on.  The  Egyptians  were 
keeping  up  a  pretty  vigorous  fire  the  while,  but  the 
plucky  private  calmly  sat  down  and  bound  up  the 
lieutenant's  wounds  as  best  he  could,  afterwards 
carrying  him  off  the  field. 

Lieutenant  W.  M.  M.  Edwards'  exploit  at  Tel-el- 
Kebir,  where  he  captured  a  battery  almost  single- 
handed,  is  worthy  of  being  related  at  some  length.  It 
was,  perhaps,  the  most  dashing  thing  done  in  the  war. 

207 


2o8  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

At  this  hard-fought  battle  four  miles  of  earthworks 
which  the  Egyptians  had  thrown  up  in  front  of  their 
position  had  to  be  carried  at  point  of  bayonet.  To 
the  Highland  Light  Infantry  and  the  Eoyal  Irish 
Fusiliers  was  given  the  post  of  honour,  and  as  the 
word  of  command  rang  out  both  regiments  dashed 
forward  at  the  charge. 

Determined  not  to  let  the  "  Faugh-a-Ballagh  Boys  " 
be  the  first  in,  Lieutenant  Edwards  of  the  Highlanders 
raced  ahead  with  his  storming  party  towards  the 
nearest  redoubt.  He  reached  the  parapet  well  in 
advance  of  the  others,  and  pulled  himself  to  the  top. 
Then,  jumping  down  among  the  Egyptian  gunners, 
revolver  in  one  hand  and  sword  in  the  other,  he  shot 
the  first  who  attacked  him,  an  officer,  through  the 
head. 

Another  grappled  with  him,  and  this  man,  too, 
he  shot;  but  while  engaged  in  this  struggle  a  third 
Egyptian  ran  up  and  knocked  him  down  with  a 
rammer.  Three  Highlanders  leapt  into  the  battery 
at  this  critical  moment,  and  Edwards  was  soon  upon 
his  feet  to  lead  his  men  in  a  charge  upon  the  guns. 
His  scabbard  had  been  shot  away  in  the  fight,  and 
his  claymore  broken  in  two,  so  after  emptying  his 
revolver  the  lieutenant  took  the  sword  of  the  artillery 
officer  he  had  killed  and  carried  on  the  fight  with 
that.  And  in  less  time  than  it  takes  to  tell  the 
battery  was  captured  with  its  four  Krupp  guns,  all 
the  Egyptian  gunners  being  slain. 

After  which  achievement  Edwards  sat  down  on 
the  parapet  to  bind  up  the  scalp  wound  he  had 
received  with  a  towel,  in  Indian  "  puggaree  "  fashion, 
afterwards  marching  to  Tel-el-Kebir  station,  two  and 
a  half  miles  off,  with  this  decoration  on  his  head.     A 


IN  EGYPT  AND  THE  SOUDAN  209 

few  months  later  he  wore  another  decoration,  the 
Victoria  Cross  having  been  bestowed  upon  him  for 
his  gallantry. 

Although  it  is  not  a  V.C.  exploit,  I  am  tempted 
to  include  a  remarkable  feat  performed  at  Tel-el- 
Kebir  by  Major  Dalbiac,  of  the  Eoyal  Artillery,  that 
£)albiac  who  fell  at  Senekal  twenty  years  later. 

During  the  battle  the  battery  which  he  commanded 
ran  short  of  ammunition  and  no  more  was  to  be  had. 
In  this  dilemma  the  major  resolved  that  at  all  events 
his  guns  should  not  stand  idle,  so,  with  a  touch  of 
humour  characteristic  of  him,  he  ordered  them  to 
be  limbered  up,  and  took  them  forward  at  a  gallop. 
One  can  imagine  the  surprise  of  the  "  Gyppies " 
when  the  entire  battery  came  racing  up  one  side  of 
the  earthworks  and  down  the  other  into  their  midst, 
putting  them  fairly  to  rout ! 

In  1883  broke  out  the  Mahdi's  rebellion  in  the 
Soudan,  which  was  to  give  us  endless  trouble  and  to 
cost  the  life  of  Gordon.  After  Hicks  Pasha  had 
perished  miserably  at  Shekan,  and  Colonel  Valentine 
Baker  with  his  Egyptians  had  been  routed  at  Tokar, 
Gordon  was  sent  out  from  England  to  conquer  the 
Soudan,  and  with  him  went  Sir  Gerald  Graham,  who 
defeated  Osman  Digna,  the  Mahdi's  right-hand  man,  at 
El  Teb  and  Tamai. 

In  the  first  of  these  battles,  fought  on  February  29th, 
1884,  two  V.C.'s  were  earned;  one  by  a  quarter- 
master-sergeant of  the  19  th  Hussars,  who  saved 
his  colonel's  life  ;  and  the  other  by  a  naval  captain 
who  is  now  the  well-known  Admiral  Sir  Arthur 
Knyvet  Wilson,  K.C.B.  The  latter  won  his  Cross  for 
conspicuous  bravery,  which  his  chief,  the  gallant  Sir 
William  Hewett,  V.C,  knew  well  how  to  appreciate. 
14 


2IO  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

The  Naval  Brigade  contributed  to  form  a  huge 
square  which  moved  steadily  down  upon  the  massed 
Arabs,  to  whom  this  was  a  novel  form  of  fighting. 
As  the  troops  approached  closer  little  parties  of  the 
enemy  dashed  out  to  fling  themselves  bravely  but 
vainly  upon  the  bayonets  of  the  front  ranks  or  be  shot 
down  ere  they  could  get  so  far.  The  principal  Arab 
attack  was  directed  against  the  side  on  which  the 
sailors  were  with  their  Gardner  guns  and  here  Captain 
Wilson  found  his  opportunity  to  distinguish  himself. 

So  impetuous  was  the  Arabs'  rush  at  one  time  that 
a  slight  gap  was  made  in  the  square.  Seeing  this,  a 
fresh  party  dashed  up  to  break  through  the  opening, 
but  they  had  to  reckon  with  Wilson.  In  a  flash  he 
recognised  the  danger,  and,  springing  out  to  meet  the 
enemy,  he  engaged  them  single-handed. 

The  first  Arab  he  ran  through  with  his  sword,  but 
with  such  vigour  that  the  blade  broke  off  at  the  hilt. 
Nothing  daunted  at  being  thus  left  weaponless,  the 
stalwart  captain  clenched  his  fists  and,  as  the  other 
Arabs  ran  in  upon  him  brandishing  their  spears,  let 
drive  right  and  left  at  them  in  true  British  style. 
One  after  another  in  quick  succession  the  sons  of  the 
desert  were  sent  rolling  over  on  the  ground,  and  then, 
some  of  the  Yorks  and  Lancasters  coming  to  his 
assistance,  the  enemy  were  dispersed. 

Wonderful  as  it  may  appear,  Captain  Wilson 
received  only  a  few  slight  wounds  in  this  extraordinary 
pugilistic  encounter.  In  all  probability  the  surprising 
nature  of  his  attack  so  disconcerted  the  Arabs  that 
they  were  at  a  loss  to  know  how  to  act. 

At  Tamai,  which  was  fought  on  the  13  th  of  the 
following  month,  there  were  likewise  two  V.C.'s 
gained.     The  first  of   these  fell  to  the  60  th  Kifles. 


IN  EGYPT  AND  THE  SOUDAN  211 

A  private  of  the  Eoyal  Sussex  having  been  badly 
hit,  Lieutenant  Percival  Marling  of  the  Kifles  took 
him  up  on  his  horse,  but  the  poor  fellow  fell  off 
almost  immediately.  Dismounting,  the  lieutenant 
nobly  gave  up  his  horse  for  the  purpose  of  carrying 
the  wounded  man  off  the  field,  and  although  it  was 
a  critical  moment  fought  his  way  to  safety  on  foot. 

Private  Thomas  Edwards,  the  second  hero  of  the 
fight,  was  a  "  Black  Watch  "  Highlander  who  was  on 
transport  service  with  the  Naval  men,  having  in  his 
charge  two  mules  loaded  with  ammunition.  His 
gun  of  the  battery  was  under  the  command  of  Lieu- 
tenant Almack,  K.N.,  "  one  of  the  bravest  officers  on 
the  field  that  morning,"  to  use  Edwards'  own  words. 

In  a  sudden  rush  of  the  enemy  the  gun — a  Gatling 
— was  surrounded,  and  of  the  three  standing  by  it 
one,  a  sailor,  was  instantly  speared.  Two  of  the 
"  Fuzzy -Wuzzies "  then  made  for  Edwards,  who  put 
his  bayonet  through  both  of  them.  The  lieutenant, 
however,  was  less  lucky.  Attacked  by  several 
Soudanees,  he  succeeded  in  disposing  of  one  with  his 
sword,  but  before  he  had  time  to  recover  another 
nearly  sliced  his  right  arm  off  with  a  slashing  cut. 

In  a  twinkling  Edwards  shot  the  Soudanee  dead. 
There  then  ran  up,  he  says  in  his  own  account  of  the 
incident,  three  more  Soudanees,  who  threw  themselves 
upon  the  helpless  officer  as  he  leant  against  the  gun- 
carriage  and  ran  their  spears  through  his  body.  See- 
ing that  Almack  was  killed  and  that  he  could  do 
nothing  more,  the  brave  Highlander,  who,  by  the  way, 
received  a  wound  on  the  back  of  his  right  hand,  took 
his  two  mules  and  retired,  keeping  up  a  fire  upon 
the  enemy  as  he  fell  back. 

Yet  another  V.C.  hero  of  the  Soudan  was  Gunner 


212  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

Albert  Smith,  of  the  Eoyal  Artillery,  the  scene  of  his 
gallantry  being  Abu  Klea. 

The  story  of  this  fierce  battle  makes  exciting  read- 
ing. Late  in  December  of  1884,  Sir  Herbert  Stewart 
with  a  "  flying  column  "  of  1500  men  was  marching 
across  the  Bayuda  Desert  to  Metemmeh,  on  his  way 
to  reheve  Khartoum  and  Gordon.  He  had  under  him 
a  picked  fighting  force,  including  some  of  the  Guards, 
and  they  started  out  from  Korti  with  high  hopes  of 
a  speedy  march  to  their  goal.  They  little  dreamt  of 
what  lay  before  them. 

The  water-bottles  of  the  men  were  soon  emptied, 
and  when  it  was  necessary  to  refill  them  it  was  found 
that  the  wily  Mahdi  had  dried  up  the  wells  along 
the  line  of  route.  Only  after  a  toilsome  journey  of 
eighty  miles  was  water  reached,  though  even  then  it 
was  hardly  worth  the  name.  Such  as  it  was,  however, 
it  was  priceless  to  the  Tommies,  who  were  half  mad 
with  thirst,  and  every  available  receptacle  was  filled 
with  water. 

Another  march  of  a  hundred  and  twenty  miles 
brought  the  column  in  sight  of  the  wells  at  Abu  Klea, 
and  in  sight,  too,  of  a  strong  force  of  the  enemy.  All 
through  the  weary  night  the  men  waited  impatiently 
by  their  arms  until  morning  came  to  give  them  a 
chance  of  getting  at  the  wells.  Then,  in  the  form 
of  a  hollow  square,  the  column  advanced,  "  like  some 
huge  machine,  slow,  regular,  and  compact,  despite  the 
hail  of  bullets  pouring  in  from  front,  right,  and  left, 
and  ultimately  from  the  rear." 

Altogether  there  were  over  ten  thousand  Arabs 
opposed  to  the  little  force,  hemming  them  in  all 
round.  There  was  no  avenue  of  retreat ;  the  column 
had  to  go  forward  and  cut  its  way  through. 


IN  EGYPT  AND  THE  SOUDAN  213 

Then  it  was  that  for  the  first  time  in  history  a 
British  square  was  broken.  With  the  utmost  fury 
the  Soudanees  swept  down  upon  a  corner  of  the 
phalanx  and  by  sheer  weight  of  numbers  forced  a 
way  inside.  It  was  indeed  a  critical  moment. 
Colonel  Fred  Burnaby,  of  the  Koyal  Horse  Guards, 
was  among  the  first  to  be  killed,  though  not  before 
he  had  slain  several  of  his  assailants;  and  as  more 
spearsmen  poured  in,  the  slaughter  was  terrible.  But 
in  time  the  troops  rallied.  The  square  was  re-formed, 
and  not  one  of  those  daring  black  -  skinned  foemen 
who  got  inside  escaped  to  boast  of  his  valour. 

It  was  in  this  desperate  struggle  of  bayonet  versus 
spear  and  sword  that  Gunner  Smith  saw  his  officer. 
Lieutenant  Guthrie,  prone  on  the  ground  and  at  the 
mercy  of  the  enemy.  The  gunner  had  only  a  handspike 
for  weapon,  but  with  this  he  rushed  forward,  hurling 
himself  like  a  thunderbolt  upon  the  Soudanees.  He 
was  in  the  nick  of  time.  One  of  the  warriors  was  in 
the  very  act  of  plunging  his  spear  into  Guthrie's 
breast  when  the  handspike  crashed  upon  his  head  and 
stretched  him  lifeless. 

Standing  over  the  fallen  lieutenant's  body.  Smith 
kept  the  enemy  at  bay,  and  he  was  still  at  his  post 
when  the  ranks  had  recovered  from  the  shock  of  the 
onset  and  filled  up  the  gap  in  the  square.  Then  he 
was  relieved  of  his  charge,  but  unfortunately  his 
gallantry  had  not  availed  to  save  the  lieutenant's 
life.  Guthrie  had  been  mortally  wounded  when 
he  fell. 

Taking  a  leap  of  several  years,  I  may  fittingly  tell 
here  of  how  some  more  recent  V.C.'s  of  the  Soudan 
were  won.     At  Omdurman,  where  on  September  2nd, 


S14  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

1898,  the  Khalifa  was  finally  routed,  the  21st 
Lancers  covered  themselves  with  glory  through  a 
famous  charge,  and  three  of  their  number  inscribed 
their  names  on  the  Roll  of  Valour. 

It  was  after  the  Khalifa's  futile  attempt  to  storm 
the  zereba  where  the  British  troops  lay  strongly 
entrenched  that  the  Lancers'  opportunity  to  dis- 
tinguish themselves  came.  While  the  main  body 
of  the  army  marched  steadily  forward  in  the  direction 
of  Omdurman,  the  21st,  under  Colonel  R.  H.  Martin, 
were  sent  to  Jebel  Surgham  to  see  if  any  of  the 
enemy  were  in  hiding  there  and  to  prevent  any 
attempt  on  their  part  to  occupy  that  position. 

Away  down  the  bank  of  the  Nile  rode  the  four 
squadrons.  A,  B,  C,  and  D,  meeting  with  scattered 
parties  of  dervishes  who  fired  fitfully  at  them.  Just 
south  of  Surgham,  behind  the  hills,  some  seven 
hundred  or  more  Soudanese  cavalry  and  infantry  were 
suddenly  espied  hiding  in  a  khor,  or  hollow,  and 
Colonel  Martin  passed  the  word  that  these  were  to 
be  cleared  out. 

Forming  in  line,  the  Lancers  galloped  forward. 
As  they  neared  the  khor  a  sharp  musketry  fire  broke 
out,  which  emptied  a  few  saddles,  and  then  to  their 
dismay  they  saw  that  instead  of  only  a  few  hundred  of 
the  enemy  there  were  nearly  three  thousand  Mahdists 
concealed  there.  There  was  no  time  for  hesitation. 
Go  forward  they  must.  So,  rising  in  his  stirrups, 
with  sword  on  high,  the  colonel  cried  "  Charge  ! "  and, 
closing  in,  the  squadrons  dashed  into  their  foes. 

They  went  down  a  drop  of  three  or  four  feet, 
plunging  into  the  thick  of  the  Mahdists.  Cutting  and 
thrusting  fiercely,  they  forged  their  way  through,  and 
with  pennons  proudly  flying  at  last  gained  the  steep 


IN  EGYPT  AND  THE  SOUDAN  215 

ascent  beyond.  Many  men,  however,  were  left  behind, 
and  but  for  the  devotion  of  some  like  Private  Thomas 
Byrne  the  number  must  have  been  still  larger.  Byrne 
saw  four  dervishes  pursuing  Lieutenant  Molyneux, 
who  was  wounded  and  on  foot,  and  although  he  was 
himself  crippled  with  a  bullet  in  his  right  arm  he 
rode  back  to  the  rescue.  He  tried  to  use  his  sword, 
but  there  was  no  strength  in  his  arm ;  the  weapon 
dropped  from  his  limp  grasp,  and  he  received  a 
spear  wound  in  the  chest.  By  this  time  Lieutenant 
Molyneux  was  out  of  danger,  so  Byrne  galloped  off  to 
his  troop,  which  he  regained  without  further  injury. 
The  brave  Irish  private  got  the  Cross  for  his  pluck, 
and,  as  Mr.  Winston  Churchill  comments  in  his 
account  of  the  deed,^  Byrne's  wearing  it  will  rather 
enhance  the  value  of  the  Order. 

One  of  the  officers  to  fall  in  the  charge  was 
Lieutenant  Eobert  Grenfell.  To  save  him,  or  at  least 
recover  his  body,  Captain  P.  A.  Kenna  and  Lieutenant 
de  Montmorency,  accompanied  by  Corporal  Swarbrick, 
dashed  back  into  the  midst  of  the  enemy.  They  were 
unsuccessful,  De  Montmorency's  horse  bolting  as  they 
tried  to  lift  poor  Grenfell  on  to  it ;  but  the  attempt 
was  a  courageous  one,  and  both  officers  were  gazetted 
V.C.  a  little  later,  Corporal  Swarbrick  being  awarded 
the  Distinguished  Service  Medal.  Just  before  this 
gallant  action,  I  may  mention.  Captain  Kenna  had 
distinguished  himself  by  saving  the  life  of  Major 
Crole  Wyndham,  whose  horse  had  been  shot  under 
him,  an  act  which  alone  entitled  him  to  the  dis- 
tinction. 

^  The  River  War,  vol.  ii.  p.  141. 


CHAPTEE   XXV. 

V.C.  HEROES   OF   THE   INDIAN   FRONTIER. 

THE  closing  years  of  the  eighties  and  the  opening 
years  of  the  nineties  saw  a  good  deal  of  fighting 
at  different  places  on  our  Indian  frontier.  Through 
internal  dissensions  or  the  interference  of  some 
foreign  power,  some  of  the  turbulent  hill  tribes 
were  in  a  state  of  continual  ferment,  and  order 
had  to  be  restored  within  their  boundaries  by  force 
of  arms. 

In  1888  there  was  trouble  in  Upper  Burmah. 
The  Karen-ni,  or  Eed  Karens,  who  form  a  group  of 
semi-independent  tribes  down  by  the  Siamese  border, 
took  to  dacoiting  again  in  a  bold  manner.  An  ex- 
pedition was  accordingly  sent  into  their  district,  with 
the  result  that  the  disturbances  were  quickly  quelled. 
This  "  little  war  "  comes  within  the  scope  of  this  book 
for  a  notable  display  of  devotion  on  the  part  of  an 
Army  doctor  which  gained  him  a  V.C. 

With  the  Indian  troops  that  went  into  action 
against  the  Karens  near  Lwekaw  on  New  Year's 
Day,  in  1889,  was  Surgeon  (now  Lieutenant-Colonel) 
John  Crimmin,  of  the  Bombay  Medical  Service.  He 
soon  had  an  opportunity  for  putting  his  skill  to  some 
use,  for  several  of  the  Bombay  infantrymen  were  bowled 
over  by  the  dacoits.     Kegardless  of  his  own  danger, 

216 


V.C.  HEROES  OF  THE  INDIAN  FRONTIER  217 

the  surgeon  proceeded  to  kneel  by  the  fallen  men's 
sides  and  dress  their  wounds. 

In  the  bamboo  clumps  very  near  to  him  the  Karens 
were  being  chased  and  cut  down  by  the  troops,  but 
now  and  then  a  red-turbaned,  red-robed  figure  would 
peep  out  of  a  patch  and  take  a  flying  shot  at  the 
doctor.  Luckily  for  him  and  his  patients,  they  were 
poor  marksmen. 

Having  joined  the  firing  line  again,  Crimmin  made 
himself  useful  with  his  revolver.  Not  for  long,  how- 
ever; the  Red  Karens  are  savage  fighters,  and  our 
sepoys  had  to  pay  for  their  victory  dearly.  The 
surgeon  was  very  soon  busy  once  more,  bandaging 
shot  wounds  and  knife  cuts. 

A  mounted  sepoy  had  been  told  ofif  to  stand  by 
him,  but  he  was  slight  protection.  At  one  time  the 
surgeon  was  set  upon  by  nearly  a  dozen  of  the  enemy, 
who  leapt  out  of  the  bamboos  upon  his  right  with 
wild  yells.  Dropping  his  lint  and  bandages,  Crimmin 
whipped  out  his  sword,  ran  the  first  man  through, 
and  was  hard  at  work  with  another  while  the  sepoy 
dropped  a  third.  This  warm  reception  disheartened 
the  Karens,  and  with  a  parting  shot  or  two  they  dis- 
appeared as  quickly  as  they  came.  Then  the  surgeon 
coolly  went  on  with  his  work,  the  wounded  men 
murmuring  many  a  "  God  bless  you,  doctor  sahib,"  as 
he  bent  over  them. 

The  winter  of  1891  is  memorable  for  the  brilliant 
little  Hunza-Nagar  campaign,  which  was  brought  about 
by  Russian  intrigues  with  the  rulers  of  some  petty 
states  on  the  northern  frontier  of  Cashmere.  In  the 
storming  of  the  mountain  strongholds  in  Hunza  and 
Nagar  three  V.C.'s  were  won,  by  Lieutenant  Guy 
Boisragon,    Lieutenant    John    Manners    Smith,    and 


2i8  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

Captain  Fenton  John  Aylmer,  while  many  more  were 
earned. 

The  most  striking  event  in  Indian  history  of  that 
year,  however,  was  the  revolt  in  Manipur,  where  the 
British  Eesident,  Mr.  Frank  St.  Clair  Grimwood,  and 
other  Europeans  in  the  capital  were  brutally  murdered. 
In  connection  with  this  tragedy  a  young  officer  at- 
tached to  the  2nd  Burmah  Battalion  of  the  Punjab 
Infantry,  Lieutenant  Charles  J.  W.  Grant,  performed 
a  dashing  deed  which  made  him  talked  of  far  and 
wide  as  "  the  hero  of  Manipur,"  and  added  his  name 
to  the  list  of  those  decorated  "  for  Valour." 

The  state  of  Manipur  lies  up  among  the  hills 
between  India  and  Burma.  It  is  semi-independent, 
like  many  of  its  neighbours,  the  Maharajah  being 
subjected  to  the  control  of  a  British  Eesident.  In 
1890  a  family  quarrel  in  the  Maharajah's  own 
household  led  to  his  deposition,  his  brother  the 
Senaputty  (commander-in-chief  of  the  army)  placing 
another  brother  on  the  throne  as  Regent. 

This  turn  of  affairs  was  tacitly  acquiesced  in  by 
the  Indian  Government,  who  recognised  that  the 
change  was  for  the  better,  but  on  the  late  Maharajah, 
Soor  Chandra  Singh,  complaining  to  the  authorities 
of  the  bad  treatment  he  had  received  (and  deserved, 
by  the  way),  some  notice  of  it  had  to  be  taken.  So 
Mr.  Quinton,  Chief  Commissioner  of  Assam,  was 
despatched  to  Manipur  with  instructions  to  arrest 
the  head  and  front  of  the  offending,  the  Senaputty. 

This  gentleman,  however,  firmly  declined  to  comply 
with  the  request  that  he  should  surrender  himself. 
An  attempt  was  then  made  to  seize  him  in  the 
palace,  but  without  success,  and  diplomacy  was  again 
resorted    to.      A    meeting    was    arranged    for    the 


V.C.  HEROES  OF  THE  INDIAN  FRONTIER  219 

discussion  of  the  matter,  and  one  evening  Quinton, 
Grimwood,  and  several  of  the  British  officers  had  an 
interview  with  the  Kegent  and  the  Senaputty.  Not 
one  of  them  was  ever  seen  again  alive.  On  their 
refusal  to  accept  the  terms  proposed  by  the  Manipuri 
chiefs  they  were  all  massacred. 

Mrs.  St.  Clair  Grimwood,  who  was  one  of  those 
who  escaped  from  the  besieged  Kesidency  immediately 
after  the  tragedy,  has  given  us  a  graphic  account  of 
her  experiences.  She  was  ignorant  of  the  real  facts 
when  forced  to  flee  by  her  companions,  the  first 
news  being  that  her  husband  had  been  taken  prisoner 
with  the  others.  Only  at  the  end  of  her  journey 
did  she  learn  the  awful  truth. 

Down  in  the  cellar  of  the  house  Mrs.  Grimwood, 
like  the  brave  lady  she  was,  carefully  tended  the 
wounded  amid  the  crackle  of  musketry  and  the 
crash  of  bursting  shells.  She  was  hit  in  the  arm, 
though  fortunately  not  seriously,  and  only  desisted 
from  her  task  when  it  became  evident  that  they 
must  all  leave  the  place.  The  rebels  had  set  the 
Kesidency  on  fire. 

With  the  wounded  and  an  escort  of  sepoys,  Mrs. 
Grimwood  and  the  officers  who  had  survived  made 
a  dash  for  the  road,  reaching  it  in  safety.  "  I  had 
not  even  a  hat,"  she  remarks,  "and  only  very  thin 
house-shoes  on.  One  of  these  dropped  off  in  the 
river,  where  I  got  wet  up  to  the  shoulders.  We 
were  fired  at  all  the  way.  I  lay  down  in  a  ditch 
about  twenty  times  that  night  while  they  were  firing, 
to  try  and  escape  bullets." 

After  ten  days'  marching  through  the  jungle- 
covered  country,  fording  rivers  and  scrambling 
through  swamps,  not  to  mention  a  sharp  encounter 


220  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

with  their  enemies,  the  little  party  reached  British 
territory.  They  had  just  two  cartridges  left  by  that 
time;  one  of  them  being  reserved,  it  is  noted,  to 
save  Mrs.  Grimwood  from  falling  alive  into  the  hands 
of  the  Manipuris ! 

One  is  tempted  to  dwell  at  greater  length  on  the 
story  of  that  dramatic  flight  from  the  Kesidency, 
but  it  is  with  Lieutenant  Grant  that  we  are  mainly 
concerned.  I 

Grant  was  at  Tammu,  a  Burma  village  station 
some  distance  to  the  south,  when  word  arrived  of 
the  outbreak  in  Manipur.  No  details  of  the  massacre 
or  the  escape  were  known,  but  in  the  hope  of  being 
able  to  effect  a  rescue  the  young  officer  obtained 
permission  to  lead  a  small  force  up  to  Manipur. 
He  took  with  him  eighty  men  in  all,  Punjabis  and 
Ghurkas,  with  three  elephants  as  carriers. 

Through  the  teak  forests  they  marched  steadily 
though  slowly  towards  their  goal,  having  to  constantly 
beat  off  the  Manipuris  as  they  approached  nearer. 
At  Palel  a  sharp  engagement  took  place,  in  which 
the  gallant  eighty  dispersed  a  large  number  of  the 
enemy.  From  prisoners  that  were  captured  here 
Grant  learned  for  the  first  time  of  how  Quinton 
and  Grimwood  had  been  murdered. 

Believing  still  that  Mrs.  Grimwood  and  several 
others  were  besieged  in  the  Residency,  he  pushed 
on  with  all  speed,  and  at  last  reached  the  town  of 
Thobal,  about  half  -  way  between  Tammu  and  the 
capital.  At  this  place  the  Manipuris,  a  thousand 
or  more  strong,  offered  a  stout  resistance  to  his 
progress,  but  a  furious  charge  at  the  head  of  his 
followers  cleared  the  entrenchments  by  the  river-side, 
leaving  them  free  to  be  occupied  by  him. 


V.C.  HEROES  OF  THE  INDIAN  FRONTIER  221 

These  trenches  the  lieutenant  at  once  strengthened, 
building  up  the  walls  with  mud,  rice-baskets,  ration- 
sacks  and  everything  that  would  answer  the  purpose, 
even  using  his  own  pillow  -  case  as  a  sandbag. 
Provisions  were  fortunately  to  be  had  with  little 
difficulty,  for  behind  them,  on  the  other  side  of  the 
river,  were  some  paddy  fields. 

The  siege  of  his  fortified  position  soon  began,  and 
the  enemy's  guns  threw  shell  after  shell  into  the 
trenches  before  the  Ghurkas  could  drive  them  off. 
A  brief  halt  was  made  in  the  hostilities  while  Grant, 
as  he  records,  had  a  lively  correspondence  with  the 
Eegent  and  the  Senaputty  anent  certain  prisoners 
whom  they  threatened  to  murder  unless  he  retired. 
Negotiations  fell  through  eventually,  and  the  attack 
was  renewed. 

In  all  the  fighting  Grant  played  a  heroic  part, 
making  sallies  with  a  few  of  his  Ghurkas,  and 
striking  terror  into  the  hearts  of  the  Manipuris. 
"  Found  myself  in  a  bit  of  a  hole,"  he  writes  at  one 
place  in  his  journal ;  "  for  thirty  or  forty  were  in 
a  corner  behind  a  wall,  six  feet  high,  over  which 
they  were  firing  at  us."  This  wall  had  to  be  cleared, 
so  Grant  and  seven  men  charged  down  on  it  headlong, 
and  had  "  the  hottest  three  minutes  on  record." 

The  Ghurkas  had  a  very  proper  appreciation  of 
their  leader's  bravery.  "  How  could  we  be  beaten 
under  Grant  Sahib  ? "  they  asked,  when  questioned 
about  this  and  similar  exploits.  "  He  is  a  tiger  in 
fight ! " 

The  struggle  at  Thobal  lasted  a  week.  At  the 
end  of  that  time,  just  as  Grant  was  noting  with 
dismay  that  ammunition  was  running  very  short,  a 
summons  came  to  him  from  Burma  to  retire. 


222  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

The  little  force,  without  any  further  interference 
from  the  enemy,  who  had  suffered  pretty  severely,  left 
their  entrenchments  one  evening  during  a  terrible 
thunderstorm,  and  set  off  on  their  return  journey. 
An  advance  party  of  a  hundred  and  eighty  men  met 
them  near  Palel,  at  which  place  some  hours  later  they 
fought  another  brisk  action  with  the  Manipuris. 

In  all  this  fighting  Grant  had  escaped  unhurt,  but 
a  few  weeks  afterwards,  while  again  under  fire  at 
Palel,  he  had  a  very  narrow  shave,  a  bullet  passing 
through  the  back  of  his  neck.  As  he  said  himself, 
his  luck  all  through  was  marvellous :  "  Everything 
turned  up  all  right." 

At  the  same  time,  making  full  allowance  for  the 
element  of  luck,  there  is  much,  very  much,  to  be 
placed  to  his  credit  on  the  score  of  pluck  and  skill. 
The  difficulties  before  him  when  he  set  out  for 
Manipur  on  his  gallant  attempt  at  rescue  were 
tremendous,  and  only  his  undaunted  courage  and 
resourcefulness  carried  him  successfully  through. 

The  young  lieutenant  is  now  Major  Grant,  V.C., 
having  been  gazetted  two  months  after  his  dashing 
exploit ;  and  it  is  pleasing  to  note  that  every  one  of 
his  men  who  survived  the  march  were  also  decorated, 
receiving  the  Indian  Order  of  Merit  for  their  devotion 
and  heroism. 


CHAPTEK    XXVI. 

HOW    SURGEON-CAPTAIN  WHITCHURCH    WON   FAME. 

THEKE  was  some  consternation  in  the  quaint-look- 
ing, five-towered  fort  at  Chitral  on  the  evening 
of  the  3rd  of  March  1895.  Sher  Afzul,  the  usurping 
chief  of  the  little  mountainous  state  in  the  north-west 
of  India,  was  approaching  with  a  large  force,  and 
some  two  hundred  of  the  4th  Cashmere  Kifles  had 
gone  out  under  Captain  Townshend  to  try  conclusions 
with  the  rebels.  After  several  hours'  brisk  fighting 
in  the  villages  nestling  at  the  foot  of  the  hills,  the 
troops  had  withdrawn  to  the  fort,  but  some  men  of 
one  section  still  remained  to  be  accounted  for. 

Captain  Baird,  with  about  a  dozen  Ghurkhas,  had 
not  returned.  He  was  lying  somewhere  out  in  the 
darkness,  on  the  hillside,  where  the  white-robed 
Chitralis  were  still  firing.  And  with  him  was 
Surgeon  -  Captain  Whitchurch,  who  had  bravely 
hastened  to  his  assistance  on  hearing  that  the  captain 
was  wounded. 

"Where  is  Whitchurch?  Where  is  Baird?" 
Captain  Gurdon  and  the  other  members  of  the  little 
garrison  asked  the  question  of  each  other  anxiously 
from  time  to  time,  hoping  that  the  missing  men  had 
found  their  way  into  the  fort.  The  surgeon  especially 
was  needed,  for   Captain    Townshend's   reconnoitring 

223 


224  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

party  had  brought  many  wounded  back  with  them. 
But  the  answer  still  came,  :with  an  ominous  shake  of 
the  head,  "  Not  in  yet." 

In  the  meantime,  while  the  occupants  of  the  fort 
set  about  preparing  for  the  expected  siege,  the  few 
stars  that  were  beginning  to  peep  out  of  the  clouded 
sky  looked  down  upon  a  strange  scene  in  a  little 
orchard  nearly  two  miles  away  from  the  fort.  There, 
under  the  trees,  a  wounded  officer  was  being  bandaged 
by  the  skilful  hands  of  another  who  bent  over  him, 
a  dozen  sepoys  and  four  stretcher-bearers  standing 
patiently  by. 

The  operation  finished,  the  sufferer  wa^  lifted 
tenderly  into  a  dhoolie.  Then  two  bearers  laised  it 
from  the  ground,  the  escort  ranged  itself  alongside, 
and  the  little  party  started  out  for  the  road  leading 
to  the  fort. 

"  Feel  any  easier  now,  old  chap  ? "  asked  the 
surgeon,  who  was  striding  by  the  dhoolie. 

"Yes,  thanks,  Whitchurch;  much  easier,"  replied 
Captain  Baird,  suppressing  a  groan  as  one  of  the 
bearers  stumbled  over  a  stone. 

Contrary  to  the  general  opinion  expressed  at  the 
fort,  neither  of  the  two  missing  men  had  been  killed 
or  captured  by  the  enemy.  When  Baird  had  fallen 
with  a  bullet  in  his  side,  his  men  had  carried  him 
quickly  to  the  shelter  of  an  orchard  close  at  hand, 
and  here  they  had  escaped  notice.  All  around  them, 
however,  lurked  the  Chitralis,  on  the  look-out  to  cut 
off  any  stragglers  from  the  retreating  force. 

In  a  few  minutes  Whitchurch's  party  had  filed 
down  the  hillside  and  reached  the  road,  but  a  cry  of 
warning  from  the  native  officer  in  front  pulled  them 
up  short. 


HOW  WHITCHURCH  WON  FAME        225 

"  We're  cut  off,  sahib,"  he  exclaimed,  as  the  surgeon 
hastened  to  his  side.  "  The  enemy  have  got  in  front 
of  us ! " 

It  was,  alas !  too  true.  Although  he  could  see 
nothing  through  the  gloom,  the  shouts  and  occasional 
shots  that  reached  his  ears  told  Whitchurch  plainly 
that  the  Chitralis  were  on  the  road  ahead.  What  was 
to  be  done  ? 

A  sudden  thought  occurred  to  him.  "  Isn't  there 
a  way  round  to  the  fort  by  the  river,  Bidrina  Singh  ? " 
he  asked  of  the  officer. 

The  other  nodded  affirmatively.  There  was  a  track 
along  the  river  bank,  he  said,  but  it  would  take  them 
a  mile  out  of  their  way  and  across  some  very  difficult 
ground. 

"  Never  mind,"  said  the  surgeon  briskly.  "  WeVe 
got  to  get  to  the  fort  to-night.  So  pull  your  men 
together,  Bidrina  Singh,  and  make  for  the  river  at 
once." 

From  his  dhoolie  Captain  Baird  called  Whitchurch 
over  to  him,  and  begged  that  he  would  consider  his  own 
safety  first.     "  I'm  badly  hit,  old  chap,"  he  said  ;  "  I 

know  I'm  done  for "     But  Whitchurch  shut  him 

up  quickly.  While  there  was  breath  in  his  body 
he  meant  to  stick  to  his  comrade ;  there  was  to  be 
no  talk  of  running  away.  So,  picking  up  the  wounded 
man  again,  the  native  bearers  took  their  place  in  the 
middle  of  the  escort,  the  latter  closed  up,  and  on 
they  moved  across  the  polo  ground  towards  the  river 
on  their  left. 

Thanks  to    the  dense  darkness,  they  made   good 

progress  on  their  way  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour  or  so. 

Then    a    scouting  party  of    Sher    Afzul's    followers 

suddenly  appeared  in  front,  and  with  a  joyful  shout 

IS 


226  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

gathered  round  them.  At  Whitchurch's  quick  word 
of  command  the  sturdy  little  G-hurkas  closed  in  and 
fired  a  volley  into  the  midst  of  their  foes.  There 
were  yells  of  pain  which  told  that  some  of  the  shots 
had  taken  effect,  but  the  yells  drew  other  Chitralis 
who  were  prowling  near,  and  the  answering  shots  of 
the  enemy  became  more  frequent. 

Whitchurch's  revolver  spoke  more  than  once  with 
good  effect,  and  his  "  Steady,  men  !  Aim  low,"  rang  out 
encouragingly  above  the  din.  The  Chitralis,  thank 
goodness,  were  firing  somewhat  at  random,  not  knowing 
the  strength  of  those  opposed  to  them ;  but  one  bullet 
at  last  found  its  mark.  A  bearer  dropped  his  end  of 
the  stretcher  with  a  cry,  and  tumbled  over  backwards, 
dead.  The  jolt  of  the  fall  wrung  a  groan  from  poor 
Baird,  in  spite  of  his  iron  nerve.  Then  another 
stretcher-bearer  stepped  forward  and  lifted  the 
dhoolie,  and  on  the  little  party  pressed  again. 

Firing  steadily  in  volleys,  the  gallant  Ghurkas 
gradually  cleared  the  way  before  them.  The  Chitralis 
had  no  wish  to  stand  in  the  way  of  those  deadly 
levelled  barrels,  preferring  to  circle  round  their  prey 
and  drop  in  a  shot  as  opportunity  offered.  Two  more 
bearers  were  killed,  together  with  two  or  three  sepoys, 
and  the  surgeon  now  took  one  end  of  the  dhoolie 
himself. 

They  had  gone  nearly  half  the  distance  when  the 
enemy  rallied  in  stronger  force  and  barred  the  track 
ahead.  Things  were  beginning  to  look  serious.  "  Fix 
bayonets ! "  Whitchurch  called  out,  and  there  was  a 
rattle  of  steel  in  the  sockets.  "  Charge ! "  And  with 
a  cheer  the  Ghurkas  dashed  at  the  cluster  of  white- 
robed  figures,  sending  them  scattering  right  and  left, 
while  a  few  lay  writhing  on  the  ground. 


HOW  WHITCHURCH  WON  FAME       227 

That  charge  taught  the  Chitralis  to  keep  at  a  more 
respectful  distance,  but  a  little  later  some  daring  spirits 
ventured  nearer,  and  the  last  of  the  bearers  fell  shot 
through  the  body.  Whitchurch  put  the  dhoolie  down 
and  lifted  up  the  wounded  man  in  his  strong  arms. 
The  Ghurkas  were  wanted,  every  man  of  them,  to 
protect  Baird  with  their  rifles ;  not  one  could  be  spared 
for  bearer-work. 

Again,  it  is  said,  the  captain  implored  Whitchurch 
to  leave  him  and  make  a  run  for  it  to  the  fort. 
Perhaps  he  felt  already  that  his  wound  was  mortal. 
But  again  the  brave  surgeon  refused  to  hear  a  word. 
With  Baird  in  his  embrace,  he  struggled  gamely  after 
the  sepoys. 

Along  the  rough,  rock-strewn  path  the  party 
stumbled,  working  their  way  ever  nearer  and  nearer 
to  the  fort.  A  low  wall  confronted  them  thrice,  a  wall 
behind  which  the  enemy  were  quick  to  post  themselves. 
But  jumping  over  with  the  surgeon  to  lead  them,  the 
nimble  Ghurkas  swept  the  way  clear  each  time,  and 
Whitchurch,  having  returned  to  pick  up  Baird,  half 
carried  and  half  dragged  his  weighty  burden  to  the 
more  open  ground. 

At  last,  after  another  fifteen  minutes'  struggle,  a 
dark  mass  of  trees  loomed  up  ahead.  It  was  the 
grove  of  cedars  by  the  eastern  wall  of  the  fort.  They 
were  within  sight  of  safety  now.  Still  the  Chitralis 
hovered  round,  however,  and  a  chance  shot  hit  Baird 
as  he  hung  limp  in  the  surgeon's  arms. 

"  Make  for  the  garden  entrance ! "  cried  Whitchurch ; 
and  the  Ghurkas  turned  to  pass  through  the  grove. 
On  their  right,  by  the  main  gates,  was  a  confused 
sound  of  shouting  and  firing.  The  enemy  had  already 
gathered  in  force  there. 


228  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

As  they  neared  the  entrance  in  the  garden  and  gave 
a  ringing  cheer,  the  sentries  saw  them.  In  a  minute 
the  gate  was  unbolted,  and  the  little  party  scrambled 
through,  but  not  before  Baird  was  yet  a  third  time  hit 
— on  this  occasion  in  the  face,  as  his  head  rested  on 
Whitchurch's  shoulder.  How  often  has  it  happened 
in  similar  rescues,  that  the  wounded  has  been  the 
target  for  the  enemy's  bullets,  while  the  rescuer  has 
escaped  scot  free !  It  was  the  story  of  "  Dhoolie 
Square"  repeated  again,  the  story  of  McManus,  Eyan, 
and  Captain  Arnold. 

Inside  the  fort  enclosure  the  officers  gathered  quickly 
round  Whitchurch  as  the  glad  cry  went  up,  "They've 
brought  Baird  in!"  And  tenderly,  very  tenderly,  for 
he  was  suffering  greatly  from  his  hurts,  the  wounded 
officer  was  carried  to  the  hospital,  where  without  any 
loss  of  time  the  surgeon  followed  to  save,  if  possible, 
the  life  that  was  so  dear  to  them  all. 

I  should  much  like  to  add  that  he  was  successful ; 
but  fate  willed  otherwise.  Captain  Baird  lived  only 
a  few  hours,  and  the  fort  that  he  had  helped  to  defend 
so  gallantly  served  as  his  grave. 

Chitral  was  relieved  about  the  middle  of  April, 
when  a  British  column  succeeded  in  fighting  its  way 
to  the  fort  through  the  mountain  passes.  Three 
months  later  the  London  Gazette  contained  the  welcome 
announcement  that  the  Victoria  Cross  had  been  awarded 
to  Surgeon-Captain  Harry  Frederick  Whitchurch,  of 
the  Indian  Medical  Service. 

Her  Majesty  Queen  Victoria  herself  pinned  the 
Cross  on  the  brave  surgeon's  breast  at  Osborne,  with 
warm  words  of  praise  that  were  echoed  by  every  one 
who  had  heard  the  story  of  that  plucky  night-rescue 
in  far-off  Chitral. 


CHAPTEE   XXVIl. 

WHEN    THE   AFRIDIS    WERE    UP. 

ONE  hundred  and  forty  miles  south  of  Chitral,  as 
the  crow  flies,  is  the  border  city  of  Peshawar, 
standing  like  a  sentinel  on  the  north-western  frontier 
of  India.  It  is,  indeed,  the  guardian  of  the  gate, 
for  before  it  winds  westward  the  famous  Khyber  Pass, 
which  links  Afghanistan  with  our  great  Eastern 
Empire. 

Peshawar  stands  almost  in  the  heart  of  the  Afridi 
country,  surrounded  with  the  hill  tribes  of  Mohmunds, 
Swats,  Buners,  Khels,  Afridis  and  Orakzais.  Fierce 
warlike  races  are  these,  with  whom  from  the  beginning 
of  things  we  have  had  trouble.  At  one  time  we 
thought  we  had  tamed  them,  and  we  gave  them  the 
rifles  they  had  hitherto  stolen,  put  them  into  khaki, 
and  made  them  wardens  of  the  passes.  But  the  wild 
tribesmen  cannot  live  without  fighting ;  disputes  over 
boundaries  arose,  and  these  eventually  culminated  in 
a  rising  that  threatened  to  weaken  our  grip  on  these 
frontier  posts.  Whence  came  the  Malakand,  Swat, 
and  Tirah  campaigns  of  1897-98. 

When  in  1897  Sir  William  Lockhart,  Commander- 
in-Chief  in  India,  moved  towards  the  rebellious  tribes 
with  an  army  numbering  35,000  men,  it  was  evident 
that  there  was  a  powerful  combination  between  the 

339 


230  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

Mohammedan  clans  in  the  hills  north,  west,  and  south 
of  Peshawar,  against  British  rule.  It  was,  in  a  sense, 
a  Holy  War,  with  Mad  Mullahs  as  instigators,  though 
behind  them  was  the  sinister  influence  of  the  Amir 
of  Afghanistan. 

The  campaigns  were  comparatively  brief,  but  they 
must  ever  rank  as  among  the  most  difficult  in  modern 
history.  The  fighting  was  never  in  the  open.  Our 
soldiers — Highlanders,  Dorsets,  and  Ghurkas  alike — 
had  to  scale  precipitous  cliffs,  worm  their  way  up 
tortuous  hillside  paths,  and  storm  the  stone  "  sangars  " 
behind  which  their  enemies  were  strongly  posted. 

In  the  tangle  of  hills  in  which  the  engagements 
took  place  the  agile  Afridis  and  their  brother- 
clansmen  were  perfectly  at  home.  Eocks,  caves,  and 
bushes  afforded  them  ample  shelter,  and  from  the 
heights  that  lined  the  passes  they  poured  a  deadly 
fire  upon  the  British  troops.  The  work  of  dislodging 
them,  of  driving  them  from  their  strongholds,  taxed 
the  powers  of  our  men  to  the  utmost. 

Of  the  several  V.C.'s  won  in  this  arduous  mountain 
warfare  the  first  fell  to  Lieutenant  Edward  Costello, 
of  the  Indian  Staff  Corps,  for  a  gallant  rescue  of  a 
native  lance- havildar  at  Malakand.  The  wounded 
havildar  lay  out  in  the  open,  exposed  to  the  enemy's 
fire,  when  the  lieutenant  saw  him,  on  a  piece  of 
ground,  too,  that  was  overrun  with  swordsmen.  But 
the  young  officer  with  a  couple  of  sepoys  ran  out  to 
his  assistance,  and  brought  him  into  the  hospital. 

A  month  later,  in  the  Swat  valley  beyond  the 
Malakand  Pass,  three  Crosses  were  earned  for  a  very 
brilliant  action.  At  Landikai,  on  August  17th,  1897, 
the  advance  guard  of  Sir  Bindon  Blood's  brigade 
shelled  the  enemy  from  their  position  and  drove  them 


WHEN  THE  AFRIDIS  WERE  UP         231 

out  into  the  plain.  Across  this  the  Swatis  retreated 
at  top  speed,  making  for  the  shelter  of  the  hills  on 
the  other  side. 

In  pursuit  of  the  flying  tribesmen  went  Colonel 
Robert  Bellew  Adams,  Captain  Palmer,  Lieutenant 
Greaves,  and  Viscount  Pincastle,  the  latter  being 
present  in  the  capacity  of  Times  correspondent. 
Palmer's  horse  was  soon  hit,  its  rider  being  saved  by 
some  of  his  men  who  galloped  after  him.  Greaves' 
horse,  becoming  restive  under  the  din  of  the  firing, 
suddenly  bolted,  and  away  went  the  lieutenant  career- 
ing among  the  enemy. 

Seeing  him  alone  among  the  Swatis,  Colonel  Adams 
and  Viscount  Fincastle  spurred  hastily  to  his  rescue, 
but  before  they  could  reach  him  the  hapless  lieutenant 
had  been  struck  down  by  a  swordsman.  In  the  hope 
that  he  was  not  killed  they  pushed  on,  and  with  a 
furious  charge  swept  the  ground  clear  around  his 
body. 

A  well-aimed  shot  now  brought  down  Fincastle's 
horse,  leaving  the  young  war-correspondent  to  meet 
his  enemies  on  foot.  He  at  once  endeavoured  to 
raise  Greaves  on  to  Adams'  saddle,  but  the  wounded 
man  slipped  off  again,  and  a  rush  of  Ghazis  prevented 
a  second  attempt  for  the  time.  Standing  over 
the  lieutenant's  body,  Fincastle  bravely  kept  the 
enemy  at  bay,  being  well  aided  by  Colonel  Adams. 
Then  two  sowars  rode  up  to  them,  and  another  attempt 
was  made  to  lift  Greaves  to  the  saddle.  They 
succeeded  in  their  object,  but  another  bullet  hit  the 
poor  fellow  again  as  they  raised  him  and  killed  him. 

By  this  time  Lieutenant  MacLean  of  the  same 
squadron  had  led  the  rest  of  the  troopers  to  the  cover 
of  some  trees.     Leaving  them  here,  he  dashed  out 


232  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

with  three  sowars  to  the  others'  help.  Shots  fell 
thickly  among  them  from  the  Ghazis  on  the  hillside, 
but  together  they  managed  to  get  Greaves'  body  on 
to  a  trooper's  horse,  and  at  once  made  off  for  shelter. 
Fincastle  and  MacLean  were  on  foot,  the  latter's 
horse  having  also  been  shot ;  and  as  they  went  along 
the  young  lieutenant  was  hit  in  both  thighs  and 
mortally  wounded.  Colonel  Adams  escaped  with  a 
sword-cut  in  his  right  hand. 

Both  Adams  and  Fincastle  received  the  V.C.  for 
their  brave  attempt  to  rescue  Greaves,  while  Lieutenant 
Hector  Lachlan  Stewart  MacLean  was  gazetted  at  the 
same  time  as  one  who  would  have  been  awarded  the 
decoration  had  he  lived. 

There  was  a  sharp  piece  of  fighting  in  the 
Mamund  Valley  some  weeks  later,  where  two  young 
Engineer  officers.  Lieutenants  Watson  and  Colvin, 
distinguished  themselves  in  driving  the  enemy  from 
the  burning  village  of  Bilot,  and  added  V.C.  to  their 
names.  But  I  must  pass  on  to  tell  of  the  famous 
storming  of  the  heights  of  Dargai  and  of  how  the 
"gay  Gordons"  there  covered  themselves  with  fresh 
glory. 

In  the  advance  of  the  British  troops  from  Shinwari 
towards  Karappa  a  large  portion  of  the  division 
under  Major-General  Yeatman-Biggs  was  ordered  to 
take  the  route  through  the  Chagru  Kotal.  As 
soon  as  this  movement  was  commenced,  however,  the 
Afridis  posted  themselves  in  great  force  in  the 
Samana  Hills  along  the  Khanki  Valley,  giving  them 
the  command  of  the  track  along  which  the  army  must 
necessarily  pass. 

The  working  parties  on  the  Chagru  Kotal  were  so 


WHEN  THE  AFRIDIS  WERE  UP         233 

harassed  by  the  Afridi  sharpshooters  that  it  became 
important  that  the  Dargai  and  other  hills  in  the 
vicinity  should  be  cleared.  On  October  18th,  Sir 
Power  Palmer,  who  was  entrusted  with  the  conduct 
of  the  operations  in  place  of  General  Yeatman-Biggs, 
who  had  fallen  ill,  made  a  sweeping  attack  on  the 
Dargai  position.  The  3rd  Ghurkas,  led  by  Lieutenant 
Beynon  with  a  revolver  in  one  hand  and  an  alpen- 
stock in  the  other,  led  the  dash  up  the  cliff-side,  and 
successfully  dislodged  the  enemy. 

Unfortunately,  for  several  reasons,  the  heights  could 
not  be  held.  The  water-supply  was  difficult  of  access, 
and  to  have  placed  a  detachment  alone  on  Dargai 
while  the  Afridis  were  masters  of  the  Khanki  Valley 
would  have  been  to  risk  a  serious  disaster.  Under 
orders  from  the  Commander-in-Chief,  the  troops  there- 
fore retired  from  the  position. 

As  soon  as  this  retreat  was  accomplished,  the  enemy, 
who  had  been  greatly  reinforced,  reoccupied  the 
heights  and  set  about  constructing  stone  "  sangars," 
in  anticipation  of  another  assault.  This  followed  two 
days  later,  after  fresh  preparations  had  been  made. 
General  Yeatman-Biggs  had  proposed  another  route 
avoiding  the  Chagru  defile,  but  Sir  William  Lockhart 
determined  to  adhere  to  his  original  plan,  viz.  to  force 
the  passage  of  the  Chagru  Kotal. 

On  Wednesday,  October  20  th,  in  the  early 
morning,  the  troops,  strengthened  by  the  addition  of 
two  battalions  and  a  battery  from  the  first  division, 
left  the  Shinwari  camp.  The  honour  of  carrying  the 
Dargai  heights,  which  had  to  be  stormed  immediately 
the  Chagru  Kotal  was  reached,  was  given  to  the  1st 
Battalion  of  the  2nd  Ghurkas,  with  the  Dorset  and 
Derbyshire  Eegiments  in  the  second  and  third  lines 


234  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

respectively.  Behind  these  came  the  1st  Battalion  of 
the  Gordon  Highlanders  (the  old  VSth). 

To  understand  properly  the  difficult  nature  of  the 
task  set  them,  something  must  be  said  about  Dargai 
itself.  I  cannot  do  better  than  quote  the  description 
given  by  Captain  Shadwell  in  his  excellent  book  on 
the  campaign. 

"  The  village  of  Dargai  lies  on  the  northern  side  of 
a  small  plateau.  The  eastern  edge  of  this  tableland 
breaks  off,  at  first,  in  an  almost  abrupt  cUff ;  but  some 
distance  lower  down  the  ground,  though  very  steep, 
shelves  away  less  precipitously.  This  slope  is  thrown 
out  from  the  bottom  of  the  cliff  in  the  form  of  a 
narrow  and  razor-like  spur,  with  the  path  or  track 
lying  along  its  northern  side,  well  within  view  and 
range  of  the  cliff-head.  But  by  climbing  along  the 
southern  side  of  this  spur,  troops  can  move  from 
Chagru  Kotal,  or  certainly  from  Mama  Khan,  a 
village  half-way  between  the  former  place  and  the 
plateau,  unseen  by  the  enemy. 

"  Connecting  the  crest  of  the  spur,  however,  and 
the  foot  of  the  cliff,  there  is  a  narrow  neck  or  saddle 
one  hundred  yards  long  by  thirty  broad,  whose  sides 
are  far  too  precipitous  to  allow  of  any  movement  along 
them.  Though  devoid  of  all  cover  and  completely 
exposed  to  the  heights  above,  this  ridge  had  to  be 
crossed,  so  as  to  reach  the  path  ascending  to  the 
summit ;  and  here  it  was  that  the  casualties  in  the 
attack  by  Brigadier-General  Westmacott's  Brigade 
(on  the  18th)  and  the  heavier  losses  of  the  20th 
occurred." 

This,  then,  was  the  dangerous  passage  to  be  "rushed" 
by  our  troops.  In  addition  to  its  exposure  to  the 
enemy's  fire,  it  may  be  added  that  the  groimd  was 


WHEN  THE  AFRIDIS  WERE  UP         235 

thickly  strewn  with  rocks  and  boulders  which  greatly 
impeded  progress. 

As  on  the  first  assault,  the  post  of  honour  was 
allotted  to  those  game  little  fighters,  the  Ghurkas. 
The  1st  Battalion  of  the  2nd  Ghurkas,  with  a  party 
of  specially  trained  scouts  from  the  3rd,  under 
Lieutenant  Tillard,  swarmed  up  the  slope  at  the  word 
of  command  and  dashed  headlong  across  the  zone  of 
fire.  In  the  rush  through  the  pitiless  rain  of  bullets 
that  at  once  descended  two  officers  fell,  one  shot  dead 
and  the  other  mortally  wounded,  while  thirty  men  bit 
the  dust,  never  to  rise  again ;  but  the  rest  reached 
cover  on  the  opposite  side. 

After  the  brave  Ghurkas,  the  Dorsets  and  the 
Derbys  tried  time  and  time  again  to  follow,  only  to 
be  mowed  down  in  heaps.  All  that  succeeded  in 
crossing  the  ridge  were  a  few  who  made  a  dash  for  it 
singly  or  in  small  parties.  How  deadly  was  the 
marksmanship  of  the  Afridis  is  shown  by  the  fact 
that  when  Lieutenant  Hewett,  of  the  Dorsetshire 
Kegiment,  led  a  section  forward,  he  was  the  only  one  to 
reach  the  crouching  Ghurkas.  Every  one  of  the  men 
following  him  was  killed. 

It  was  in  a  pause  at  this  juncture  that  Private 
Vickery,  of  the  same  regiment,  made  himself  con- 
spicuous by  running  out  repeatedly  and  at  last 
succeeding  in  dragging  back  to  shelter  a  wounded 
comrade  who  was  lying  out  in  the  open ;  this  and 
several  other  acts  of  bravery  gaining  him  a  V.C.  in 
due  course. 

For  a  time  it  seemed  a  sheer  impossibility  that  the 
position  could  be  carried,  though  the  artillery  was 
playing  upon  the  enemy's  sangars  continually.  Noon 
came,  and  still  the  three  companies  of  Ghurkas  were 


236  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

waiting  under  the  cover  of  the  rocks  until  their 
comrades  should  join  them  for  the  final  dash  up  the 
heights. 

At  last  General  Yea tman- Biggs  ordered  that  the 
position  must  be  taken  at  all  costs.  Brigadier-General 
Kempster,  in  command  of  the  brigade,  now  brought 
forward  the  1st  Battalion  of  the  Gordon  Highlanders 
and  the  3rd  Sikhs,  and  told  them  they  were  to  make 
the  assault.  Far  up  on  the  hillside  the  jubilant 
Afridis  were  shouting  defiance,  amid  the  waving  of 
standards  and  beating  of  drums,  confident  that  their 
stronghold  was  impregnable.     They  rejoiced  too  soon. 

Drawing  up  his  men,  Colonel  Mathias,  of  the 
Gordons,  said  :  "  Highlanders !  the  General  says  the 
position  must  be  taken  at  all  costs.  The  Gordons 
will  take  it  1 " 

With  their  Colonel,  Major  Forbes  Macbean,  and 
Lieutenant  Gordon  at  their  head,  and  their  pipers, 
Findlater  and  Milne,  playing  the  familiar  "  Cock  o' 
the  North,"  the  Gordons  dashed  over  the  fiery  zone, 
with  the  Derbys,  the  Dorsets,  and  the  Sikhs  pressing 
close  behind  them. 

Almost  the  first  to  be  hit  were  Major  Macbean, 
who  cheered  on  his  men  as  he  lay  on  the  ground, 
and  the  two  pipers.  Milne  was  shot  through  the 
lung  and  fell  senseless,  but  Piper  "  Jock  "  Findlater,  who 
was  shot  in  both  ankles,  propped  himself  up  against 
a  boulder  and  continued  to  play  his  pipes  with 
unabated  energy.  And  to  the  inspiriting  strains  of 
the  old  regimental  air,  the  Highlanders  and  the  others 
got  across. 

It  was  perhaps  owing  to  the  suddenness  of  the 
rush  after  the  long  wait,  and  to  the  renewed  artillery 
fire,  that   the   Gordons  accomplished   the   task   with 


PIPER  FINDLATER  .  .  .  PROPPED  HIMSELF  UP  AGAINST  A  BOULDER 

AND  CONTINUED  TO  PLAY  HIS  PIPES. — Page  236. 


WHEN  THE  AFRIDIS  WERE  UP         237 

fewer  losses  than  had  attended  the  previous  attempts ; 
yet  for  all  that  the  casualties  were  heavy.  In  the 
charge  up  the  steep  slope,  where  some  of  the  Afridis 
were  already  turning  tail,  more  men  were  to  fall  ere 
the  heights  were  won ;  but  won  they  were,  the  enemy 
being  sent  flying  in  all  directions. 

It  was  a  grand  dash,  worthy  of  the  splendid 
reputation  of  the  Gordons,  and  well  did  they  deserve 
the  burst  of  cheers  with  which  the  other  regiments 
spontaneously  greeted  them  as  they  returned.  Sir 
William  Lockhart,  too,  at  a  parade  two  days  after- 
wards, had  a  word  or  two  to  say  about  that  exploit 
which  filled  the  Highlanders  with  pride. 

For  his  gallantry  in  continuing  to  play  his  pipes 
while  wounded  "  Jock  "  Findlater  in  time  was  awarded 
the  Victoria  Cross.  There  were  many  who  considered 
that  Piper  Milne  also  merited  the  honour,  but  the 
authorities  thought  differently,  and  his  claim  was 
passed  over. 

Two  other  Crosses  on  the  same  day  were  gained  by 
Private  Lawson,  of  the  Gordons,  for  rescuing  Lieu- 
tenant Dingwall  and  a  fellow-private  under  a  most 
severe  fire ;  and  by  Lieutenant  H.  S.  Pennell,  of  the 
Derbyshires,  for  a  brave  endeavour  to  save  Captain 
Smith  of  the  same  regiment.  Only  after  a  second 
attempt,  when  he  discovered  that  the  wounded  officer 
was  dead,  did  Lieutenant  Pennell  desist  from  his 
efforts. 

What  other  gallant  deeds  were  performed  equally 
deserving  of  reward  it  is  impossible  to  say.  In  the 
fierce  swirl  of  the  fight  many  must  have  passed 
unnoticed,  and  many  heroes  must  have  fallen  at  the 
moment  of  their  self-sacrifice.  But  we  do  know  that 
it  was  not  only  British  officers  and  men  who  distin- 


238  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

guished  themselves  in  that  memorable  fight.  For 
the  record  speaks  of  one  Kirpa  Kam  Thapa,  a  native 
officer  of  the  2nd  Ghurkas,  who  though  badly  wounded 
in  two  places  refused  to  fall  out,  and  insisted  on 
leading  his  company  to  the  very  end. 

One  other  story  that  I  may  note  has  a  humorous 
touch  about  it,  and  is  characteristic  of  the  good  terms 
on  which  officers  and  men  are  in  the  Highland 
regiments.  As  the  Gordons  streamed  up  the  ascent 
to  the  summit  of  Dargai,  after  their  bold  dash,  Colonel 
Mathias,  who  was  not  quite  the  man  he  was  in  his 
younger  days,  showed  signs  of  being  winded. 

"  Stiff  climb,  eh,  Mackie  ? "  he  said,  turning  to  his 
colour-sergeant,  who  was  by  him;  "I'm — not — so 
young — as  I — was,  you  know." 

"  Never  mind,  sir ! "  the  sergeant  is  said  to  have 
answered,  slapping  his  colonel  encouragingly  on  the 
back  and  nearly  knocking  the  remaining  breath  out 
of  him.     "  Ye're  gaun  verra  stroTig  for  an  auld  man ! " 


CHAPTEE   XXVIII. 

SOUTH  AFKICA. THE  V.C.'S  OF  THE  SECOND 

BOER  WAR. 

THE  late  war  in  South  Africa,  when — for  the  last 
time,  it  is  to  be  hoped — Briton  and  Boer  strove 
for  supremacy,  is  too  recent  to  need  even  an  outline 
of  its  history  being  given  here.  It  was  a  war  of 
many  blunders  and  disasters,  and  its  record  does  not 
make  altogether  pleasant  reading;  yet  against  the 
gloom  of  it  there  is  not  a  little  to  be  set  of  which  we 
may  be  proud.  After  the  war  had  entered  upon  its 
second  phase  good  generalship  asserted  itself ;  victory 
followed  victory  in  swift  succession,  and  there  was  no 
more  looking  back. 

Many  reputations  were  lost,  while  others  were 
gained,  in  this  difficult  campaign,  but  there  was  one 
person  whose  prestige  from  the  first  suffered  no  loss. 
That  was  the  British  soldier.  In  the  face  of  a  foe 
remarkable  for  "  slimness  "  and  marksmanship,  Tommy 
Atkins  once  more  showed  himself  the  splendid  fighter 
that  he  always  has  been.  We  have  only  to  remember 
the  fierce  battles  on  the  Tugela  Kiver,  at  Colenso,  at 
Magersfontein,  at  Paardeberg,  and  elsewhere,  to  assure 
ourselves  on  this  point.  Under  the  most  terrible 
fusillade — and  how  terrible  it  was  at  times  can  hardly 
be  conveyed  in  words — our  gunners  and  our  infantry 

219 


240  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

never  hesitated  or  winced.  Throughout  the  ranks 
they  fought  with  an  indomitable  courage  that  com- 
pelled the  admiration  of  the  Boers,  and  in  the  pride 
we  feel  at  their  bravery  and  devotion  we  are  glad  to 
forget  the  incompetency  displayed  by  many  of  their 
leaders. 

Of  the  acts  of  individual  heroism  that  were  per- 
formed pages  and  pages  might  be  written  without 
exhausting  the  subject.  In  the  leading  of  forlorn 
hopes,  and  in  the  succouring  of  wounded  comrades 
under  fire,  officers  and  privates  alike  were  ever  ready 
to  risk  their  lives ;  and  the  fact  that  no  fewer  than 
seventy-eight  Victoria  Crosses  were  won  in  the  war 
speaks  for  itself.  How  some  of  these  rewards  for 
valour  were  gained  it  is  my  purpose  to  relate  in  the 
present  chapter. 

Among  the  first  to  be  decorated  was  an  Army 
surgeon,  a  worthy  successor  to  Jee,  Home,  and  those 
others  of  whom  mention  has  been  made.  At  the 
battle  of  Colenso,  in  December  1899,  Major  William 
Babtie,  of  the  Koyal  Army  Medical  Corps,  received 
word  that  a  number  of  wounded  artillerymen  were 
in  need  of  assistance.  They  lay  in  a  donga,  or  hollow, 
close  by  the  guns  of  their  batteries  (the  14th  and 
15  th),  sheltered  from  the  Boer  marksmen,  but  suffering 
considerable  agony  from  their  wounds. 

Without  loss  of  time,  and  quite  alone,  Major  Babtie 
rode  out  to  them.  He  knew  full  well  that  the 
instant  he  appeared  in  the  open  he  would  become  a 
target  for  the  enemy's  rifles,  and  few  of  those  who 
watched  him  go  on  his  errand  of  mercy  expected  to 
see  him  alive  again.  But  although  his  horse  was 
struck  three  times,  he  himself  by  good  fortune  escaped 
being  hit.     Beaching  the  donga,  he  found  a  score  of 


THE  V.C.'S  OF  THE  SECOND  BOER  WAR  241 

poor  fellows  badly  needing  attention,  and  with 
wonderful  coolness  he  set  about  dressing  their  injuries. 
The  Boers,  who  had  no  scruples  about  firing  upon  the 
wounded,  made  repeated  attempts  to  get  within  range 
of  the  intrepid  surgeon  and  his  patients,  but  with  ill- 
success.  Babtie  seemed  to  bear  a  charmed  life,  and 
he  was  able  to  save  many  a  gunner  who  but  for  his 
prompt  help  must  have  died  on  the  field. 

The  Eoyal  Army  Medical  Corps,  it  may  be  mentioned, 
won  three  more  Crosses  in  South  Africa,  making  the 
total  placed  to  their  credit  seven.  Lieutenants 
Douglas,  Nickerson,  and  Inkson  were  the  other  heroes, 
the  last-named  being  conspicuous  for  carrying  a 
wounded  comrade  for  over  three  hundred  yards  under 
heavy  fire  to  a  place  of  safety. 

It  was  at  Colenso  that  the  magnificent  attempt  to 
save  the  guns  was  made  which  resulted  in  the  sad 
death  of  Lieutenant  the  Hon.  F.  H.  S.  Eoberts,  the 
only  son  of  Lord  Eoberts,  then  Commander-in-Chief. 
Colonel  Long,  with  the  14th  and  66  th  Batteries  of  the 
Eoyal  Field  Artillery,  had  pressed  forward  to  drive 
the  Boers  from  their  trenches  along  the  bank  of  the 
Tugela,  expecting  to  be  supported  by  reinforcements. 
But  under  the  deadly  fire  directed  upon  him  he  was 
obliged  to  retire,  leaving  many  dead  and  wounded 
behind  him,  and  leaving,  too,  twelve  guns  standing 
ready  for  use,  with  their  breech-blocks  still  in  them. 

For  a  long  time  the  guns  stood  deserted  thus, 
while  the  battle  raged  to  right  and  left  of  them. 
Then,  as  General  Hildyard's  infantry,  including  the 
Devons,  the  Queen's,  and  the  Scots  Fusiliers,  made 
their  dashing  advance  upon  the  Boer  positions,  a  trio 
of  staff  officers  who  were  with  Generals  BuUer  and 
Clery  volunteered  to  save  the  guns  if  possible.  These 
16 


242  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

three  were  Captains  Schofield  and  Congreve,  and 
Lieutenant  Koberts. 

Other  volunteers  were  soon  forthcoming  when  it 
was  known  that  the  attempt  was  to  be  made,  and 
corporals,  linesmen,  and  some  drivers  of  ammunition 
waggons,  with  two  or  three  spare  teams,  galloped  out 
after  their  leaders.  The  guns  were  reached,  but  at 
once  Boer  shells  and  bullets  began  to  drop  thickly 
around.  Captain  Congreve  was  almost  the  first  to 
be  hit,  being  wounded  in  the  leg.  Then  young 
Eoberts  was  struck,  at  the  same  time  that  a  shell 
burst  under  his  horse,  inflicting  severe  wounds  upon 
him.  "  He  was  looking  over  his  shoulder  at  Schofield," 
says  an  eye-witness,  "  laughing  and  working  his  stick 
with  a  circular  motion,  like  a  jockey,  to  encourage  his 
horse,"  when  his  first  bullet  found  him,  and  he  fell 
mortally  wounded.  In  the  meantime  the  gallant 
gunners  and  drivers  were  limbering  up  with  all  speed, 
and  thanks  to  Captain  Schofield's  exertions,  two  of  the 
guns  were  hauled  back  in  safety. 

Later  on,  Captain  Reed  of  the  7th  Battery,  Royal 
Field  Artillery,  made  another  and  partially  successful 
effort  to  rescue  some  of  the  remaining  ten  guns, 
receiving  a  bad  wound  in  his  thigh  in  the  attempt ; 
but  almost  all  of  them  had  to  be  abandoned.  For 
their  gallantry,  however,  Captains  Schofield,  Congreve, 
and  Reed,  with  Lieutenant  Roberts,  were  all  recom- 
mended for  the  V.C,  the  three  first-named  alone 
surviving  to  receive  the  decoration.  Poor  Lieutenant 
Eoberts,  as  will  be  remembered,  died  at  Chievely,  two 
days  later. 

As  to  the  bravery  of  the  men  who  helped  them  to 
save  the  guns,  both  Captain  Schofield  and  Captain 
Reed  have    borne    eloquent    tribute.     "  Bosh  ! "  said 


THE  V.C.'S  OF  THE  SECOND  BOER  WAR  243 

Reed,  when  he  was  complimented  on  hia  exploit ;  "  it 
was  all  the  drivers."  And  if  you  ask  Captain 
Schofield,  you  will  find  he  will  make  much  the  same 
answer.  While  the  rain  of  bullets  poured  on  them 
the  drivers  limbered  up  in  a  calm,  business-like  fashion, 
as  if  there  wasn't  a  Boer  within  a  dozen  miles  of 
them. 

"  Just  to  show  you  what  cool  chaps  those  drivers 
were,"  says  Captain  Schofield,  "  when  I  was  hooking 
on  one  of  the  guns,  one  of  them  said, '  Elevate  the 
muzzle  a  little  more,  sir.'  That's  a  precaution  for 
galloping  in  rough  country,  but  I  shouldn't  have 
thought  of  it — not  just  then,  at  any  rate.  Pretty 
cool,  wasn't  it  ? " 

They  were  gallant  men  those  drivers  without 
doubt,  as  gallant  as  Colonel  Long's  gunners,  who  fell 
one  by  one  by  their  guns  until  only  two  were  left, 
two  who  continued  the  unequal  battle  alone,  and  when 
the  ordinary  ammunition  was  exhausted  fired  their 
last  shot,  the  emergency  rounds  of  case ;  after  which 
they  stood  at  attention  and  waited  for  the  end  that 
came  swiftly.  All  could  not  be  decorated,  however, 
though  all  deserved  equal  honour,  and  so  Corporal 
Gr.  E.  Nurse,  of  the  Royal  Field  Artillery,  was  elected 
to  receive  the  V.C.  as  the  most  fitting  representative. 

The  next  heroes  on  the  list  are  two  brave  men  of 
the  Protectorate  Regiment,  Sergeant  H.  R.  Martineau 
and  Trooper  (now  Lieutenant)  H.  E.  Ramsden. 
During  a  sortie  from  besieged  Mafeking  Sergeant 
Martineau's  attention  was  called  to  Corporal  Le 
Camp,  who  had  been  struck  down  by  a  Boer  bullet. 
The  latter  was  lying  in  the  open  less  than  a  dozen 
yards  from  the  enemy's  trenches  and  bleeding 
profusely  from  his  wound.     Not  far  away  were  some 


244  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

bushes  which  offered  ample  shelter,  so  making  a  dash 
for  the  corporal,  the  sergeant  carried  and  dragged  him 
thither  as  best  he  could.  Then,  kneeling  by  the 
wounded  man's  side,  he  carefully  bandaged  the  gaping 
shot-hole  and  stanched  the  flow  of  blood. 

Despite  the  shelter  of  the  bushes,  Martineau  did 
not  escape  being  hit.  He  was  shot  in  the  side  as  he 
stooped  over  the  corporal,  and  he  was  struck  yet 
twice  more  when,  at  the  order  to  retire,  he  picked  up 
Le  Camp  and  carried  him  after  his  comrades,  who 
were  falling  back  upon  the  town.  That  plucky  rescue 
cost  the  sergeant  an  arm,  but  it  won  him — though 
small  compensation,  perhaps — a  V.C. 

The  same  honour  fell  to  Trooper  H.  E.  Eamsden  in 
this  fight,  for  carrying  his  brother  out  of  danger  in 
very  similar  circumstances.  The  list  of  those  who 
figured  in  gallant  actions  of  this  kind,  indeed,  is 
a  long  one.  There  was  Second-Lieutenant  John 
Norwood  (now  a  captain),  of  the  5  th  Dragoon  Guards, 
who  while  in  charge  of  a  small  patrol  party  outside 
Ladysmith,  in  October  1899,  was  nearly  cornered  by 
the  Boers.  In  retiring  one  of  the  troopers  fell, 
whereupon  the  lieutenant,  galloping  back,  dismounted, 
lifted  the  wounded  man  on  to  his  shoulder,  and  with 
his  horse's  bridle  over  his  arm  walked  back  to  rejoin 
his  comrades.  And  there  was  Lieutenant  Sir  John 
Milbanke  of  the  10  th  Hussars,  who  saved  the  life  of 
one  of  his  men  while  out  on  a  reconnaissance  near 
Colesberg.  The  lieutenant  himself  was  badly  wounded 
with  a  ball  in  his  thigh,  but  disregarding  this,  he 
went  to  the  aid  of  the  wounded  man,  who  was  exposed 
to  the  Boer  fire,  and  successfully  brought  him  out  of 
range. 

Both  these  heroes  gained  the  V.C,  as,    too,   did 


THE  V.C.'S  OF  THE  SECOND  BOER  WAR  245 

Private  Bisdee  and  Lieutenant  Wylly,  of  the  Tasmanian 
Imperial  Bushmen,  for  gallantry  of  a  like  order. 
Having  run  into  an  ambuscade,  the  scouting  party  of 
which  the  Tasmanians  were  members  had  to  get  out 
of  it  as  best  they  could.  The  Boers  from  their  cover 
kept  up  a  hot  fire,  and  men  and  horses  dropped 
quickly.  Out  of  the  eight  in  the  party  all  but  two 
were  hit,  and  one  of  the  officers  had  his  horse  shot 
beneath  him.  Seeing  his  predicament,  Private  Bisdee 
offered  him  a  stirrup  leather  to  hold  on  to,  but  the 
other  was  more  badly  wounded  than  he  had  supposed. 
Jumping  off  his  horse,  therefore,  he  put  his  officer  into 
the  saddle,  and  mounting  behind  him,  galloped  out  of 
action.  Lieutenant  Wylly  in  his  turn  gave  up  his 
horse  to  a  wounded  private,  afterwards  taking  up  a 
position  behind  a  rock,  and  using  his  rifle  to  good 
purpose  to  cover  the  retreat  of  the  little  party. 

It  does  one  good  to  read  of  heroism  such  as  this, 
for  it  helps  to  keep  alive  our  faith  in  those  fine 
qualities  which  have  made  Englishmen  what  they  are. 
If  we  still  find  something  inspiring  in  the  records  of 
the  old  sea-dogs,  such  as  Benbow,  who  was  carried  on 
deck  in  a  basket  after  he  had  lost  his  leg,  so  that  he 
might  continue  to  direct  the  fight,  we  may  treasure  in 
our  memories  with  no  less  reverence  the  deeds  of 
many  humbler  heroes.  There  is  about  them,  too, 
often  enough,  a  truly  British  touch  of  dare-devilry, 
cheek,  pluck — call  it  what  you  will — that  cannot  but 
strike  one's  imagination. 

Take  the  story  of  Sergeant  T.  Lawrence  of  the  17th 
Lancers,  the  "Death  or  Glory  Boys."  He  was  in 
charge  of  a  patrol  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Lindley,  in 
August  1900,  while  the  Lancer  Brigade  was  chasing 
De  Wet.     Suddenly  attacked  by  a  body  of  fourteen 


246  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

Boers,  the  patrol  was  obliged  to  retire.  In  the 
gallop  for  safety  Private  Hayman's  horse  was  bowled 
over,  and  down  came  its  rider  to  the  ground  with  a 
dislocated  shoulder  and  broken  collar-bone.  In  a 
twinkling  the  sergeant  saw  what  had  happened.  The 
Boers  were  hard  upon  their  heels,  but  taking  his 
chance,  Lawrence  rode  back  to  Hayman's  assistance. 
The  private's  horse  being  useless,  Lawrence  dismounted 
and  raised  the  wounded  man  on  to  his  own  steed,  a 
dun  pony,  it  is  recorded.  Then,  setting  the  animal's 
head  for  the  picket  and  bidding  Hayman  hold  on  for 
his  life,  the  sergeant  gave  the  pony  a  vigorous  kick 
and  started  him  off.  This  done,  Lawrence  made  his 
way  back  on  foot,  keeping  up  a  warm  fire  with  his 
carbine ;  and  for  two  miles  he  retired  thus,  success- 
fully holding  off  the  Boers,  until  a  party  which  had 
ridden  out  in  search  of  him  brought  the  plucky 
fellow  into  our  lines. 

There  is  a  true  British  ring  about  Sergeant 
Lawrence's  action  which  is  unmistakable,  and  few 
South  African  heroes  more  deserved  the  V.C.  which 
was  eventually  bestowed  upon  him.  He,  thanks  to 
his  skill  with  the  carbine,  and  perhaps  owing  some- 
thing to  luck,  escaped  without  a  scratch,  but  not  all 
were  so  fortunate.  Writing  of  Lawrence  reminds  me 
of  another  hero,  Lieutenant  and  Adjutant  G.  H.  B. 
Coulson,  of  the  King's  Own  Scottish  Borderers,  who 
won  glory  and  death  at  the  same  time. 

It  was  during  the  rearguard  action  near  Lambrecht 
Fontein,  in  May  1901.  A  corporal  of  the  Mounted 
Infantry  was  wounded  and  helpless,  so  the  lieutenant 
pulled  him  up  on  to  his  own  horse.  As  they  rode  along 
the  animal  was  itself  struck,  and  it  became  evident 
that  a  double  burden  was  more  than  it  could  carry. 


THE  V.C.'S  OF  THE  SECOND  BOER  WAR  247 

There  was  only  one  thing  to  be  done.  Slipping  off 
the  horse,  Coulson  told  the  corporal  to  "  hang  on " 
and  save  himself ;  then,  revolver  in  hand,  he  stayed 
behind,  in  the  faint  hope  that  he  might  win  back  to 
safety  on  foot.  It  was  a  vain  hope.  The  Boers  rode 
down  upon  him,  and — one  man  against  a  hundred — 
he  fell  riddled  with  bullets.  Afterwards,  when  the 
corporal  had  told  his  story,  they  gazetted  Lieu- 
tenant and  Adjutant  Coulson  V.C.,  as  one  to 
whom  the  decoration  would  have  been  awarded  had 
he  lived. 

Among  other  dead  heroes  of  the  South  African 
War,  place  must  be  found  for  Lieutenant  Parsons  of 
the  Essex  Regiment  and  Sergeant  Atkinson  of  the 
Yorkshires.  At  Paardeberg,  where  a  fierce  battle  was 
fought  in  February  1900,  many  poor  wounded  fellows 
lay  in  the  sweltering  heat  suffering  for  want  of  water. 
Water  there  was  within  reach,  in  the  river  that 
wound  round  by  the  enemy's  trenches,  but  the  task  of 
fetching  it  was  attended  with  considerable  danger. 
Some  four  or  five  men  made  the  attempt,  only  to  fall 
under  the  hail  of  Boer  bullets.  Nothing  daunted, 
however,  both  Parsons  and  Atkinson  made  several 
dashes  for  the  precious  water,  the  former  venturing 
twice,  and  rendering  much-needed  relief  to  those 
wounded  near  him. 

Atkinson,  who  had  distinguished  himself  in  the 
fight  by  rescuing  Lieutenant  Hammick  of  the  Oxford- 
shire Light  Infantry,  went  down  to  the  river  no  fewer 
than  seven  times,  being  under  fire  all  the  while.  At 
the  seventh  venture  his  fate  found  him.  A  bullet 
struck  him  in  the  head,  and  the  brave  Yorkshireman 
fell  mortally  wounded.  He  was  a  son  of  Farrier- 
Major  James  Atkinson,  of  the  Eoyal  Artillery,  who 


248  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

is  stated  to  have  been  one  of  the  party  who  cap- 
tured the  original  Sebastopol  cannon  from  which  the 
Victoria  Crosses  are  now  cast.  Although  Lieutenant 
Parsons  survived  Paardeberg,  he  never  lived  to  receive 
his  Cross,  being  killed  later  at  Driefontein. 

For  bravery  that  distinguishes  itself  in  the  storming 
of  apparently  impregnable  positions  and  in  the  leading 
of  forlorn  hopes,  the  Highland  regiments  perhaps  bear 
the  palm.  One  remembers  their  deeds  in  the  Mutiny 
days  and,  more  recently,  at  Dargai.  In  South  Africa 
they  wrote  their  names  large,  at  Magersfontein, 
Paardeberg,  and  in  many  a  minor  action. 

One  of  their  most  dashing  exploits  was  the  capture 
of  Thaba  Mountain,  in  April  1900,  by  the  Gordons. 
In  this  engagement  Captain  E.  B.  Towse,  with  but  a 
dozen  men  at  his  back,  charged  in  the  face  of  a 
hundred  and  fifty  Boers,  who  had  climbed  the  hill 
from  the  opposite  side,  and  routed  them.  The 
position  was  won  and  held,  for  the  Highlanders — and 
especially  the  Gordons — are  men  who  like  to  have 
their  own  way,  but  their  brave  leader  paid  dearly  for 
his  victory.  During  the  brief  but  fierce  encounter  he 
was  shot  through  both  eyes  and  blinded  for  life. 
This  action  at  Thaba  Mountain,  together  with  his  well- 
remembered  gallantry  at  Magersfontein,  where  in  the 
very  fore-front  of  the  battle  he  was  seen  helping 
Colonel  Downman,  who  was  mortally  wounded,  gained 
Captain  Towse  the  V.C.  Little  wonder  is  it  that  as 
she  pinned  it  on  the  hero's  breast  Queen  Victoria  was 
moved  to  tears  of  sympathy  and  pity. 

There  were  several  V.C.'s  gained  in  and  around 
Ladysmith  during  the  memorable  siege  of  that  town 
which  well  deserve  mention.  Listen  to  the  story  of 
how   Privates    Scott    and    Pitts    of    the    Manchester 


THE  V.C.'S  OF  THE  SECOND  BOER  WAR  249 

Eegiment  won  the  coveted  decoration.  In  one  of  the 
Boer  assaults  early  in  1900  the  Manchesters  were 
given  the  task  of  holding  Caesar's  Camp,  a  position  in 
the  long  ridge  of  hills  to  the  north-east  of  the  town. 
Here  they  erected  circular  stone  sangars,  in  each  of 
which  a  few  men  were  posted  with  a  plentiful  supply 
of  ammunition. 

When  the  attack  was  delivered,  Caesar's  Camp  and 
Waggon  Hill  in  the  vicinity  received  the  brunt  of  it. 
Before  the  Boer  fire  the  Manchester  Eegiment  in 
particular  suffered  great  loss,  many  of  their  sangars 
being  captured  and  occupied  by  the  enemy ;  but  there 
was  one  spot  in  the  defences  that  the  Boers  failed  to 
carry.  In  the  little  sangar  where  they  had  been 
stationed  Privates  Scott  and  Pitts  swore  an  oath  that 
they  would  never  give  up  while  breath  was  left  in 
their  bodies,  and  for  fifteen  long  hours  their  deadly 
rifle  fire  kept  the  Boers  at  bay.  In  the  end,  as  we 
know,  the  enemy  were  compelled  to  withdraw  baffled, 
whereupon  the  two  plucky  privates  who  had  "held 
the  fort"  so  manfully  returned  to  camp  smoke- 
blackened  and — in  Scott's  case — wounded,  to  receive 
the  due  reward  of  their  heroism. 

Yet  another  brave  man  of  Ladysmith  fame  was 
Private  J.  Barry  of  the  Eoyal  Irish.  In  the  night 
attack  on  Monument  Hill  in  January  1901,  he  was 
helping  to  work  a  Maxim  when  the  Boers  surrounded 
the  little  party.  His  comrades  having  been  all  shot 
down.  Private  Barry  was  called  on  to  surrender,  but 
this  word  was  not  in  his  vocabulary.  He  neither 
intended  surrendering  nor  yielding  his  gun  to  the 
enemy,  so  hurling  a  defiance  at  the  latter,  he  pro- 
ceeded to  smash  the  breech  of  the  Maxim  and  render 
it  useless.     A  few  quick  blows  were  sufficient  for  the 


250  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

purpose,  and  the  work  was  done  ere  the  infuriated 
Boers  raised  their  rifles  and  shot  him  dead. 

A  distinguished  fellow -soldier  of  Barry's  was 
Colour-Sergeant  (now  Captain)  Masterson,  the  hero 
of  AVaggon  Hill.  In  the  furious  hand-to-hand  fight 
on  the  hill  he  was  a  conspicuous  figure,  only  being 
overborne  at  last  by  sheer  force  of  numbers,  and 
falling  with  ten  wounds  in  his  body  and  limbs. 
None  of  his  injuries  were  mortal,  however,  and  he 
survived  to  receive  the  V.C.  and  a  commission. 

Captain  Masterson's  name  and  rank,  by  the  way, 
vividly  recall  to  one's  mind  the  exploit  of  a  Eoyal 
Irish  Fusilier  of  earlier  days.  Sergeant  Masterton, 
the  hero  of  Barossa.  Masterton  was  known  as  "  the 
Eagle  Taker,"  for  the  dashing  capture  of  a  French 
Eagle  standard  after  a  charge  up  a  hill  much  in  the 
fashion  of  the  Fusiliers  at  Waggon  Hill,  and  he  too 
was  rewarded  by  promotion. 

With  another  story  of  the  gallant  gunners  I  must 
bring  this  chapter  to  a  close.  The  scene  is  Korn 
Spruit,  on  the  road  between  Thaban'chu  and  Bloem- 
fontein.  On  March  31st,  1900,  two  batteries  of 
the  Koyal  Horse  Artillery  were  making  their  way 
to  the  Orange  Free  State  capital,  when  they  fell 
into  a  Boer  ambush.  Before  the  alarm  could  be 
raised  five  guns  of  the  leading  battery  and  a  large 
section  of  the  baggage  train  had  been  captured. 

Q  Battery,  under  the  command  of  Major  Phipps- 
Hornby,  meanwhile  was  some  three  hundred  yards 
away  from  the  spruit  when  the  Boers  opened  fire, 
and  had  time  to  wheel  about  into  position.  The 
enemy's  force  far  outnumbered  the  British  column, 
but  Major  Phipps-Hornby  and  his  gunners  had  no 
idea  of  deserting  their  comrades.     Having  gained  the 


THE  V.C.'S  OF  THE  SECOND  BOER  WAR  251 

shelter  of  some  railway  buildings  near  at  hand,  the 
battery — minus  one  gun  which  had  had  to  be 
abandoned — re-formed  and  at  full  gallop  came  again 
into  action.  Within  close  range  of  the  Boers  they 
unlimbered  and  opened  fire,  while  the  teams  of 
horses  were  taken  back  to  the  rear  of  the  buildings 
for  safety. 

For  a  long  time  the  gunners  served  their  pieces  in 
splendid  style,  but  the  order  came  at  last  to  retire. 
Kealising  how  difficult  it  would  be  to  hook  the 
teams  on  to  the  guns  under  the  terrible  fusillade 
that  the  Boers  were  maintaining,  Major  Phipps- 
Hornby  decided  to  do  without  them.  Under  his 
direction  the  men  put  their  shoulders  to  the  wheels 
literally,  helped  by  some  officers  and  privates  of 
the  Mounted  Infantry,  and  by  much  pushing  and 
hauling  they  eventually  got  four  of  the  five  guns 
round  to  the  back  of  the  buildings  under  cover, 
saving  some  of  the  limbers  at  the  same  time. 

To  rejoin  the  main  body  now  entailed  the  crossing 
of  a  couple  more  spruits  and  a  donga  which  lay 
within  easy  range  of  the  Boer  guns,  a  veritable 
zone  of  fire.  But  the  gunners  had  faced  danger 
like  this  before,  and  at  the  call  for  volunteers  many 
drivers  stepped  forward.  As  quickly  as  possible  the 
horses  were  put  into  the  traces,  the  guns  hooked  on, 
and  off  they  set,  one  at  a  time,  on  their  perilous 
journey.  It  was  a  wild  dash  for  safety,  but  they  got 
home — all,  that  is,  save  one  gun  and  one  limber,  which 
after  several  attempts  had  to  be  left  behind,  all  the 
horses  belonging  to  it  being  shot  down. 

It  was  a  V.O.  business,  this  saving  of  the  guns,  but 
when  it  came  to  a  question  of  making  the  award  a 
difficulty  arose.     Every  man  of  the  battery  might  be 


252  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

said  to  have  an  equal  claim  to  be  decorated.  As  a 
few  Crosses  only  could  be  awarded,  however,  Eule  13 
of  the  original  Warrant  had  to  be  enforced,  under 
which  the  honour  was  conferred  upon  the  battery 
as  a  whole,  one  officer,  one  non-commissioned  officer, 
one  gunner  and  one  driver  being  elected  by  their 
comrades  as  recipients.  Of  the  two  officers.  Major 
Phipps- Hornby  and  Captain  Humphreys,  who  had 
taken  the  leading  part  in  the  affair,  each  had  dis- 
played conspicuous  gallantry,  and  each  with  character- 
istic generosity  nominated  the  other  for  the  decoration. 
One  would  like  to  have  seen  both  of  them  gazetted, 
but  the  rule  had  to  be  adhered  to,  and,  as  senior 
officer,  the  V.C.  was  presented  to  Major  Phipps- 
Hornby.  Sergeant  Parker,  Gunner  Lodge,  and  Driver 
Glasock  hold  the  other  three  Crosses  of  the  corps 
for  this  notable  action. 

Yet  another  hero  of  Korn  Spruit  is  Lieutenant 
(now  Lieut.-Col.)  F.  A.  Maxwell,  of  the  Indian  Army, 
then  attached  to  Koberts'  Light  Horse.  When  the 
Boer  fire  was  concentrated  on  Q  Battery,  he  volun- 
teered his  assistance  and  faced  the  blizzard  of  lead 
five  times,  helping  to  save  two  guns  and  three 
limbers.  It  was  he,  too,  who  aided  in  the  gallant 
but  futile  attempt  to  bring  in  the  fifth  gun,  remaining 
exposed  to  shot  and  shell  until  the  last  moment. 
For  his  bravery  Lieutenant  Maxwell  was  awarded  the 
V.C,  and  it  is  worthy  of  note  that  in  announcing  the 
fact  the  Gazette  refers  to  his  gallantry  during  the 
Chitral  campaign,  when  he  recovered  the  body  of 
Lieut.-Col.  F.  D.  Battye,  of  the  "Guides,"  under  a 
heavy  fire  from  the  enemy. 


CHAPTEK   XXIX. 

SOMALILAND NIGERIA TIBET. 

WITHIN  the  last  four  years  we  have  seen  three 
campaigns  of  some  importance  which  have 
added  several  V.C.'s  to  the  roll.  In  1902-3  was 
the  punitive  expedition  against  the  Mad  Mullah  in 
Somaliland,  bringing  distinction  to  Captain  Cobbe 
and  others;  in  1903  the  rising  in  Nigeria,  where, 
at  Sokoto,  Captain  Wallace  Wright  (of  the  Eoyal 
West  Surrey  Kegiment),  with  only  one  officer  and 
forty  men,  made  a  gallant  stand  for  two  hours  against 
the  repeated  charges  of  1000  of  the  enemy's  cavalry 
and  2000  infantry,  eventually  putting  this  large  force 
to  rout ;  and  in  1904  the  Sikkim-Tibet  Mission,  which 
yielded  a  V.C.  to  a  young  lieutenant  of  Ghurkas 
named  Grant.  Of  these  campaigns  that  in  Somali- 
land  heads  the  list  with  six  Crosses,  and  the  story 
of  how  they  were  won  well  deserves  to  be  told  at 
length. 

The  first  act  of  distinction  was  performed  by 
Captain  (now  Lieutenant-Colonel)  A.  S.  Cobbe,  D.S.O., 
at  Erego,  on  October  6th,  1902.  In  the  fight  at  this 
place  some  of  the  companies  were  ordered  to  retire, 
and  Captain  Cobbe  suddenly  found  himself  left  alone 
in  the  firing  line  with  a  Maxim.     He  saved  the  gun 

ass 


254  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C.  | 

from  capture  by  the  enemy,  and  bringing  it  back 
worked  it  single-handed  with  such  good  effect  that 
he  may  be  said  to  have  turned  the  fortunes  of  the 
day  at  a  critical  moment  in  the  action.  Later  on 
he  went  to  the  rescue  of  an  orderly  who  had  fallen 
under  the  Somalis'  bullets,  exposing  himself  not  only 
to  the  enemy's  fire  but  to  that  of  his  own  men,  who 
were  replying  vigorously.  For  his  gallantry  Captain 
Cobbe  was  gazetted  V.C,  receiving  the  decoration 
from  the  hands  of  General  Manning  at  Obbia,  some 
four  months  later. 

With  the  fighting  at  Jidballi  two  V.C.'s  are  associated. 
One  is  proudly  worn  by  Lieutenant  Herbert  Carter  for 
saving  the  life  of  Private  Jai  Singh  in  the  face  of 
a  determined  rush  of  dervishes ;  and  the  other  by 
Lieutenant  Clement  Leslie  Smith,  of  the  Duke  of 
Cornwall's  Light  Infantry.  The  latter  was  serving 
with  the  5  th  Somali  Mounted  Infantry  at  the  time. 
In  an  onslaught  made  by  the  enemy  from  the  bush 
our  men  got  broken  up,  and  the  combat  resolved  itself 
into  a  hand-to-hand  affair.  Fighting  desperately  to 
recover  themselves,  the  Mounted  Infantry  rallied 
bravely  to  their  leader's  call,  but  little  could  be  done 
to  stave  off  defeat.  The  loyal  Somalis  were  driven 
back,  leaving  many  dead  and  wounded  on  the  ground, 
among  the  latter  being  one  Kahamat  Ali,  a  Hospital- 
Assistant.  Observing  this  man's  plight.  Lieutenant 
Smith  and  Dr.  Welland  of  the  K.A.M.C.  made  a 
desperate  attempt  to  save  him. 

They  had  almost  succeeded  in  getting  the  wounded 
man  on  to  a  horse  when  one  of  the  many  bullets  that 
rained  upon  them  found  him,  and  he  was  killed.  The 
Somalis  now  hemmed  in  the  two  officers  on  all  sides, 
so  the  lieutenant  sought  to  bring  out  Dr.  Welland, 


SOMALILAND— NIGERIA— TIBET         255 

hastily  helping  him  to  mount  again.  The  doctor's 
horse  was  shot,  however,  as  was  a  mule  which  was  next 
seized,  and  immediately  after  there  was  a  rush,  and 
Welland  was  speared.  Smith  stood  by  him  to  the 
end,  endeavouring  to  keep  off  the  enemy  with  his 
revolver,  but  he  had  done  all  that  mortal  man  could 
do,  and  it  was  time  to  think  of  his  own  safety.  At 
that  time  the  dervishes  were  swarming  round  him, 
and,  as  the  Gazette  notes,  it  was  marvellous  indeed 
that  he  escaped  with  his  life. 

But,  notable  as  were  these  acts  of  bravery,  it  is 
for  the  heroic  attempt  to  rescue  poor  Captain  Bruce 
that  the  Somaliland  campaign  will  perhaps  be  best 
remembered.  In  that  drama  of  savage  warfare, 
which  brings  home  to  us  most  vividly  the  difficul- 
ties and  dangers  of  bush  fighting,  three  Crosses 
were  gained,  inscribing  the  names  of  Kolland,  Walker, 
and  Gough  upon  the  roll  of  glory.  This  is  the  story 
of  it. 

On  April  22nd,  1903,  Major  Gough's  flying  column, 
which  had  been  operating  in  the  Daratoleh  district, 
began  to  fall  back  upon  Danop,  owing  to  shortness 
in  ammunition  and  the  large  number  of  wounded  on 
its  hands.  All  around  the  little  force,  in  the  dense 
bush,  the  enemy  swarmed  thickly,  maintaining  a  harass- 
ing fire  upon  the  troops.  During  the  afternoon  the 
rearguard  became  cut  off  from  the  main  body,  and 
dropped  considerably  into  the  rear.  With  this  section 
were  Captain  Bruce,  K.A.,  Major  Gough's  staff  officer, 
and  Captains  Eolland  and  Walker  of  the  Intelligence 
Department,  and  when  in  a  little  time  Bruce  fell 
badly  wounded,  the  look-out  for  the  little  party 
seemed  bad  indeed. 

Having    fired    at  and  killed   a    savage   whom    he 


256  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

believed  to  have  aimed  the  fatal  shot,  Captain  Eolland 
ran  to  his  comrade's  assistance  and  dragged  him  to 
one  side  of  the  forest  path,  where  he  would  be  less 
exposed  to  the  enemy's  fire.  It  was  very  evident 
that  the  wound  was  mortal,  but  Eolland — who,  by  the 
way,  was  an  old  Harrow  boy,  like  Bruce — determined 
to  make  every  effort  to  save  his  friend's  body  if  he 
could  not  save  his  life.  While  he  attended  to  him 
two  Yaos  (men  of  the  King's  African  Eifles),  a  Sikh 
and  a  loyal  Somali  of  the  Camel  Corps,  bravely 
stood  by  them,  covering  them  with  their  rifles  and 
holding  the  enemy  in  check,  the  latter  shouting 
to  each  other  in  joyful  anticipation  of  a  speedy 
victory. 

Captain  Bruce  was  a  very  heavy  man,  of  nearly 
fourteen  stone,  and  Captain  Eolland,  who  turned  the 
scale  at  nine  and  a  half,  found  he  could  not  lift  the 
other.  None  of  the  four  men  could  stop  firing  to 
help  him,  or  the  Somalis  would  have  made  a  rush, 
so  the  despairing  officer  shouted  to  the  disappearing 
column  in  front  to  halt.  But  the  winding  path  soon 
hid  it  from  sight,  and  Eolland  saw  that  he  was  left 
to  his  fate.  The  enemy,  becoming  enboldened,  now 
pressed  closer  in,  and  the  captain  had  to  leave  the 
wounded  man's  side  and  use  his  carbine  and  revolver 
to  drive  the  Somalis  back  into  the  bush  again.  It 
was  hot  work,  for  the  natives  were  in  strong  force 
and  armed  with  rifles  in  addition  to  their  broad- bladed 
throwing  spears. 

Suddenly  Bruce  got  to  his  feet,  and  Eolland  rushed 
to  hold  him  up ;  but  it  was  the  last  flicker  of  life. 
The  wounded  man  lurched  forward  again  and  fell 
on  his  face,  dragging  Eolland  down  with  him.  As 
the  latter  turned  him  over  on  to    his    back,    Bruce 


SOMALILAND— NIGERIA— TIBET         257 

opened  his  eyes  and  spoke  for  the  last  time. 
"  They've  done  for  me  this  time,  old  man ! "  he 
said,  and  a  moment  or  two  afterwards  relapsed  into 
unconsciousness. 

To  Eolland's  great  relief,  he  looked  up  from  his 
friend's  body  to  see  Captain  Walker  "  trekking " 
towards  him.  His  shout  had  been  heard,  after  all. 
Together  the  two  tried  to  carry  poor  Bruce  between 
them,  but  it  was  no  use ;  so  Eolland  decided  to  make  a 
dash  for  the  rearguard  to  get  help.  It  was  a  terribly 
long  run,  and  he  thought  he  must  get  hit  every 
moment,  as  the  bullets  pinged  about  him.  He  got 
through  safely,  however,  and  seized  a  Bikanir  camel. 
As  he  was  leading  this  back  he  met  Major  Gough, 
who  asked  what  was  the  matter,  and  on  being  told 
at  once  hastened  to  Bruce's  aid. 

Holland's  camel  was  desperately  frightened  at  the 
firing  and  shouting,  and  the  captain  had  another  bad 
quarter  of  an  hour  as  he  coaxed  it  and  urged  it  along 
the  bush  path,  but  he  reached  the  others  without 
mishap.  With  Gough  and  Walker  he  now  lifted 
Captain  Bruce  on  to  the  kneeling  camel,  and  as  they 
did  so  a  third  Somali  bullet  struck  the  wounded  man, 
almost  immediately  after  which  he  died.  At  the  same 
time  the  Sikh,  who  had  done  his  duty  nobly  in  pro- 
tecting his  officers,  had  his  arm  smashed  by  a  fourth 
bullet. 

The  little  party  were  not  left  alone  until  5.30  p.m., 
when,  after  some  scattering  shots,  the  enemy  at  last 
drew  off.  "  It  was  the  hardest  day  of  my  life,"  adds 
Captain  Eolland,  in  his  account  of  the  affair,  and  we 
may  well  believe  him.  "I  fired  and  fired  in  that 
fight  till  my  rifle  was  boiling  hot;  even  the  wood- 
work felt  on  fire.  Up  to  3  a.m.  a  few  biscuits  and 
17 


258  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

cocoa,  then  a  2  5 -mile  ride,  a  seven  hours'  fight,  and 
2  5  miles  back  to  camp ;  i.e.  5  0  miles  that  day ;  2  5 
hours  without  food  of  any  kind,  from  the  3  a.m. 
biscuits  and  cocoa  on  the  22nd  to  the  4  a.m.  dinner 
on  the  23rd.  Oh,  the  thirst  of  that  day!  I  had 
two  water-bottles  on  my  camel,  and  drained  them 
both.     Hunger  I  did  not  feel." 

They  buried  Captain  Bruce  the  next  morning, 
side  by  side  with  another  officer  who  had  been 
killed,  Captain  Godfrey,  laying  them  to  rest  just 
as  they  were,  in  their  stained  khaki  uniforms.  The 
silent  African  bush  has  many  such  graves  in  its 
keeping. 

It  was  not  until  some  time  later  that  the  part 
Major  Gough  had  played  in  the  rescue  of  Captain 
Bruce's  body  was  brought  to  light.  He  had  promptly 
reported  the  heroic  conduct  of  Captains  Eolland  and 
Walker,  but  modestly  omitted  all  mention  of  his 
own  share  in  the  incident.  And  when  the  late 
Mr.  W.  T.  Maud,  the  artist-correspondent  of  the 
Graphic,  attempted  to  send  home  to  his  paper  a  full 
account  of  the  affair,  the  Major  rigidly  censored 
the  despatch  so  that  his  name  did  not  occur 
therein.  His  heroism,  however,  could  not  be  over- 
looked, and  as  soon  as  he  was  free  from  Major 
Gough's  censorship  Mr.  Maud  made  public  the  true 
story  of  the  action,  whereupon  the  V.C.  was  be- 
stowed upon  the  Major  as  well  as  upon  Captains 
Eolland  and  Walker. 

It  is  interesting  to  note  that  Major  John  Edmond 
Gough  (now  Lieutenant-Colonel)  is  a  son  of  General 
Sir  C.  J.  S.  Gough,  V.C,  and  a  nephew  of  that  other 
distinguished  Indian  veteran.  General  Sir  H.  H.  Gough, 
V.C.    He  thus  establishes  a  record,  for  no  other  family 


SOMALILAND— NIGERIA— TIBET         259 

has  ever  yet  possessed  three  members  entitled  to  wear 
the  decoration. 

To  Lieutenant  John  Duncan  Grant,  of  the  8th 
Ghurka  Eifles,  belongs  the  distinction  of  winning 
the  last  Cross  that  has  been  awarded.  The  scene  of 
his  exploit  was  Tibet,  and  the  date  July  6th,  1904. 
On  that  day  the  storming  of  the  Gyantse-jong,  the 
most  formidable  of  the  Tibetan  strongholds,  was 
successfully  carried  out,  the  Ghurkas,  as  on  many 
a  previous  occasion,  being  called  on  to  perform  the 
most  ticklish  part  of  the  business. 

The  jong,  or  fort,  at  Gyantse  is  perched  high  up  on 
a  hill,  the  approach  being  rendered  difficult  for  an 
enemy  by  the  bare  and  almost  precipitous  nature  of 
the  rock-face.  There  is  scarcely  any  cover  available, 
and  an  attacking  party  is  exposed  to  the  fire  from 
the  curtain  and  the  flanking  towers  on  both  sides. 
All  day  the  artillery  had  been  thundering  at  the 
walls  with  little  success,  but  at  last  a  small  breach 
was  made  in  the  curtain,  and  it  became  possible  for 
a  storming  party  to  force  its  way  through.  It 
became  possible,  I  say,  but  the  task  was  a  truly 
hazardous  one.  So  little  room  was  there  that  only 
one  man  could  go  up  at  a  time,  crawling  on  his  hands 
and  knees  to  the  hole  in  the  curtain. 

Lieutenant  Grant,  however,  with  his  brave  little 
Ghurkas,  was  not  to  be  daunted  by  such  heavy  odds. 
Leaving  the  cover  of  the  village  at  the  foot  of  the 
hill,  he  led  the  advance  up  the  steep  slope.  Immedi- 
ately behind  him  came  Havildar  Karbir  Pun,  as  eager 
to  come  to  close  quarters  with  the  enemy  as  was  his 
leader.  Up  the  slippery  face  of  the  cliff  they  scrambled, 
while  a  shower  of  rocks  and  stones  poured  down  on 


26o  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

them  from  the  Tibetans  above,  to  say  nothing  of 
occasional  volleys  of  jingal  bullets;  and  as  they 
neared  the  top  the  lieutenant  fell  back  wounded. 
Nor  did  the  havildar  escape,  being  hurled  back  down 
the  rock  for  thirty  feet  or  more. 

Despite  their  injuries  the  intrepid  couple  made 
another  attempt  after  a  brief  pause.  Covered  by  the 
fire  of  their  men,  they  dashed  for  the  breach,  and  this 
time  succeeded  in  their  purpose.  Grant  was  the  first 
through,  with  the  faithful  Karbir  Pun  at  his  heels, 
their  rifles  clearing  a  path  for  them  as  they  scrambled 
inside  the  jong.  Then  the  rest  of  the  Ghurkas 
quickly  poured  in,  and  the  issue  of  the  assault  was 
no  longer  in  doubt. 

Lieutenant  Grant  was  gazetted  in  January  of  the 
year  following.  Havildar  Karbir  Pun — the  sepoys 
of  our  Indian  army  not  being  eligible  for  the  V.C. — 
received  the  Indian  Order  of  Merit,  which  is  its 
equivalent,  being  conferred  for  conspicuous  bravery 
in  the  field. 

And  so  this  record  of  the  Victoria  Cross  and  its 
heroes  comes  to  a  close.  It  is  a  brave  record,  indeed, 
from  Lucas  down  to  Grant,  and  we  may  well  be  proud 
of  the  gallant  fellows,  soldiers  and  sailors,  British  and 
Colonials,  whose  names  figure  therein.  Of  late  years 
there  has  been  some  complaint  that  the  decoration 
is  in  danger  of  being  cheapened  by  a  too  liberal  dis- 
tribution, but  I  cannot  think  that  such  is  the  case. 
The  right  to  wear  the  coveted  Cross  is  most  jealously 
guarded;  only  for  acts  of  conspicuous  bravery  is  it 
granted ;  and  he  would  be  a  bold  man  who  dared  to 
place  his  finger  on  any  one  of  the  522  names  in  the 
list  and  say,  "  That  man  was  not  worthy."      How 


SOMALILAND— NIGERIA— TIBET         261 

jealously  the  recipients  guard  the  honour  of  the 
decoration  for  their  part  is  shown  by  the  fact  that 
Kule  15  of  the  original  Warrant  has  never  had  to 
be  enforced.  No  wearer  of  the  V.C.  has  been  struck 
off  the  roll  for  "  treason,  cowardice,  felony,  or  any 
infamous  crime."  And  if  at  times  we  read  of  a 
Victoria  Cross  beiug  sold  (almost  invariably  for  a 
large  amount)  to  some  collector,  we  may  be  sure 
that  another  V.C.  hero  has  joined  the  great  majority. 
The  instances  in  which  a  recipient  of  the  Cross  has 
parted  with  his  decoration  in  his  lifetime  are  very 
rare,  and  this  despite  the  most  tempting  offers  for 
the  same  that  are  known  to  have  been  made.  For 
no  medal  that  can  be  won  by  the  officers  and  men  of 
either  Service  is  so  highly  prized  when  gained  as 
the  little  bronze  Maltese  cross  bearing  the  golden 
words,  "  For  Valour." 


APPENDICES 


APPENDIX  A. 


ROYAL  WARRANTS. 

The  following  are  the  principal  Royal  Warrants  that  have 
been  issued  in  connection  with  the  Victoria  Cross. 

War  Dbpartmbnt,  February  5th,  1856. 

The  Queen  has  been  pleased,  by  an  instrument  under  her 
Royal  Sign  Manual,  of  which  the  following  is  a  copy,  to  institute 
and  create  a  new  Naval  and  Military  decoration,  to  be  styled 
and  designated  "  The  Victoria  Cross,"  and  to  make  the  rules  and 
regulations  therein  set  forth  under  which  the  said  decoration 
shall  be  conferred. 

Victoria,  by  the  grace  of  God,  of  the  United  Kingdom  of  Great 
Britain  and  Ireland,  Queen,  Defender  of  the  Faith,  etc.,  to  all 
to  whom  these  presents  shall  come.  Greeting. 

Whereas,  We,  taking  into  Our  Royal  Consideration,  that 
there  exists  no  means  of  adequately  rewarding  the  individual 
gallant  services,  either  of  officers  of  the  lower  grades  in  Our 
Naval  and  Military  Service,  or  of  warrant  and  petty  officers, 
seamen  and  marines  in  Our  Navy,  and  non-commissioned  officers 
in  Our  Army.  And,  whereas,  the  third  class  of  Our  Most 
Honourable  Order  of  the  Bath  is  limited,  except  in  very  rare 
cases,  to  the  higher  ranks  of  both  services,  and  the  granting  of 
Medals,  both  in  Our  Navy  and  Army,  is  only  awarded  for  long 
service  or  meritorious  conduct,  rather  than  for  bravery  in  action 
or  distinction  before  an  enemy,  such  cases  alone  excepted  where 
a  general  medal  is  granted  for  a  particular  action  or  campaign, 
or  a  clasp  added  to  the  medal  for  some  especial  engagement,  in 
both  of  which  cases  all  share  ec[ually  in  the  boon,  and  those  who, 

263 


264  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

by  their  valour,  have  particularly  signalised  themselves,  remain 
undistinguished  from  their  comrades.  Now,  for  the  purpose  of 
attaining  an  end  so  desirable  as  that  of  rewarding  individual 
instances  of  merit  and  valour,  We  have  instituted  and  created, 
and  by  these  presents  for  Us,  our  Heirs  and  Successors,  institute 
and  create  a  new  Naval  and  Military  Decoration,  which  We  are 
desirous  should  be  highly  prized  and  eagerly  sought  after  by  the 
oflBcers  and  men  of  Our  Naval  and  Military  Services,  and  are 
graciously  pleased  to  make,  ordain  and  establish  the  following 
rules  and  ordinances  for  the  government  of  the  same,  which 
shall  from  henceforth  be  inviolably  observed  and  kept. 

Firstly.  It  is  ordained  that  the  distinction  shall  be  styled 
and  designated  "The  Victoria  Cross,"  and  shall  consist  of  a 
Maltese  cross  of  Bronze,  with  Our  Eoyal  Crest  in  the  centre, 
and  underneath  with  an  escroll  bearing  the  inscription  "For 
Valour." 

Secondly.  It  is  ordained  that  the  Cross  shall  be  suspended 
from  the  left  breast  by  a  blue  riband  for  the  Navy,  and  by  a  red 
riband  for  the  Army. 

Thirdly.  It  is  ordained  that  the  names  of  those  upon  whom 
We  may  be  pleased  to  confer  the  Decoration  shall  be  published 
in  the  London  Gazette,  and  a  registry  thereof  kept  in  the  Office 
of  Our  Secretary  of  State  for  War. 

Fourthly.  It  is  ordained  that  anyone  who,  after  having 
received  the  Cross,  shall  again  perform  an  act  of  iDravery,  which, 
if  he  had  not  received  such  Cross,  would  have  entitled  him  to 
it,  such  further  act  shall  be  recorded  by  a  bar  attached  to  the 
riband  by  which  the  Cross  is  suspended,  and  for  every  additional 
act  of  bravery  an  additional  bar  may  be  added. 

Fifthly.  It  is  ordained  that  the  Cross  shall  only  be  awarded  to 
those  officers  and  men  who  have  served  Us  in  the  presence  of  the 
enemy,  and  shall  have  then  performed  some  signal  act  of  valour 
or  devotion  to  their  country. 

Sixthly.  It  is  ordained,  with  a  view  to  placing  all  persons  on  a 
perfectly  equal  footing  in  relation  to  eligibility  for  the  Decora- 
tion, that  neither  rank,  nor  long  service,  nor  wounds,  nor  any 
other  circumstance  or  condition  whatsoever,  save  the  merit  of 
conspicuous  bravery,  shall  be  held  to  establish  a  sufficient  claim 
to  the  honour. 

Seventhly.  It  is  ordained  that  the  Decoration  may  be  conferred 
on  the  spot  where  the  act  to  be  rewarded  by  the  grant  of  such 
Decoration  has  been  performed,  under  the  following  circum- 
stances : — 1.  When  the  fleet  or  army  in  which  such  act  has  been 
performed  is  under  the  eye  and  command  of  an  admiral  or 
general  officer  commanding  the  forces.  2.  Where  the  Naval  or 
Military  force  is  under  the  eye  and  command  of  an  admiral  or 
commodore  commanding  a  squadron  or  detached  Naval  force,  or 
of  a  general  commanding  a  corps  or  division  or  brigade  on  a 


APPENDIX  A  265 

distinct  and  detached  service,  when  such  admiral  or  general 
officer  shall  have  the  power  of  conferring  the  Decoration  on  the 
spot,  subject  to  confirmation  by  Us. 

Eighthly.  It  is  ordained  where  such  act  shall  not  have  been 
performed  in  sight  of  a  commanding  officer  as  aforesaid,  then 
the  claimant  for  the  honour  shall  prove  the  act  to  the  satisfaction 
of  the  captain  or  officer  commanding  his  ship,  or  to  the  officer 
commanding  the  regiment  to  which  the  claimant  belongs,  and 
such  captain,  or  such  commanding  officer,  shall  report  the  same 
through  the  usual  channel  to  the  admiral  or  commodore 
commanding  the  force  employed  in  the  service,  or  to  the  officer 
commanding  the  forces  in  the  field  who  shall  call  for  such 
description  and  attestation  of  the  act  as  he  may  think 
requisite,  and  on  approval  shall  recommend  the  grant  of  the 
Decoration. 

Ninthly.  It  is  ordained  that  every  person  selected  for  the 
Cross,  under  Eule  7,  shall  be  publicly  decorated  before  the 
Naval  or  Military  force  or  body  to  which  he  belongs,  and  with 
which  the  act  of  bravery  for  which  he  is  to  be  rewarded 
shall  have  been  performed,  and  his  name  shall  be  recorded 
in  a  general  order  together  with  the  cause  of  his  especial 
distinction. 

Tenthly.  It  is  ordained  that  every  person  selected  under 
Rule  8  shall  receive  his  Decoration  as  soon  as  possible,  and  his 
name  shall  likewise  appear  in  a  general  order  as  above  required, 
such  general  order  to  be  issued  by  the  Naval  or  Military 
commander  of  the  forces  employed  on  the  Service. 

Eleventhly.  It  is  ordained  that  the  general  orders  above 
referred  to  shall  from  time  to  time  be  transmitted  to  Our 
Secretary  of  State  for  War,  to  be  laid  before  Us,  and  shall  be 
by  him  registered. 

Twelfthly.  It  is  ordained  that,  as  cases  may  arise  not  falling 
within  the  rules  above  specified,  or  in  which  a  claim,  though 
well  founded,  may  not  have  been  established  on  the  spot,  We 
will,  on  the  joint  submission  of  Our  Secretary  of  State  for  War 
and  of  Our  Commander-in-Chief  of  Our  Army,  or  on  that  of 
Our  Lord  High  Admiral,  or  Lords  Commissioners  of  the 
Admiralty  in  the  case  of  the  Navy,  confer  the  Decoration,  but 
never  without  conclusive  proofs  of  the  performance  of  the  act  of 
bravery  for  which  the  claim  is  made. 

Thirteenthly.  It  is  ordained  that  in  the  event  of  a  gallant  and 
daring  act  having  been  performed  by  a  squadron,  ship's  company, 
or  detached  body  of  seamen  and  marines  not  under  fifty  in 
number,  or  by  a  brigade,  regiment,  troop  or  company  in  which 
the  admiral,  general,  or  other  officer  commanding  such  forces 
may  deem  that  all  are  equally  brave  and  distinguished,  and  that 
no  special  selection  can  be  made  by  them,  then  in  such  case  the 
admiral,  general,  or  other  officer  commanding,  may  direct  that 


266  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

for  any  sucli  body  of  seamen  or  marines,  or  for  every  troop  or 
company  of  soldiers,  one  officer  shall  be  selected  by  the  ofl&cers 
engaged  for  the  Decoration,  and  in  like  manner  one  petty  officer 
or  non-commissioned  ofl&cer  shall  be  selected  by  the  petty  officers 
and  non-commissioned  officers  engaged,  and  two  seamen  or 
private  soldiers  or  marines  shall  be  selected  by  the  seamen,  or 
private  soldiers,  or  marines  engaged,  respectively  for  the  Decora- 
tion, and  the  names  of  those  selected  shall  be  transmitted  by  the 
senior  of&cers  in  command  of  the  Naval  force,  brigade,  regiment, 
troop,  or  company,  to  the  admiral  or  general  officer  commanding, 
who  shall  in  due  manner  confer  the  Decoration  as  if  the  acts 
were  done  under  his  own  eye. 

Fourteenthly.  It  is  ordained  that  every  warrant  officer,  petty 
officer,  seaman  or  marine,  or  non-commissioned  officer,  or  soldier 
who  shall  have  received  the  Cross,  shall,  from  the  date  of  the 
act  by  which  the  Decoration  has  been  gained  be  entitled  to  a 
special  pension  of  £10  a  year,  and  each  additional  bar  conferred 
under  Rule  4  on  such  warrant  or  petty  officers,  or  non-com- 
missioned officers  or  men,  shall  carry  with  it  an  additional 
pension  of  £5  per  annum. 

Fifteenthly.  In  order  to  make  such  additional  provision  as  shall 
effectually  preserve  pure  this  most  honourable  distinction,  it  is 
ordained  that,  if  any  person  be  convicted  of  treason,  cowardice, 
felony,  or  of  any  infamous  crime,  or  if  he  be  accused  of  any  such 
offence,  and  doth  not  after  a  reasonable  time  surrender  himself 
to  be  tried  for  the  same,  his  name  shall  forthwith  be  erased  from 
the  registry  of  individuals  upon  whom  the  said  Decoration  shall 
have  been  conferred,  by  an  especial  Warrant  under  Our  Royal 
Sign  Manual,  and  the  pension  conferred  under  Rule  14  shall 
cease  and  determine  from  the  date  of  such  Warrant.  It  is 
hereby  further  declared,  that  We,  Our  Heirs  and  Successors, 
shall  be  the  all  judges  of  the  circumstances  requiring  such 
expulsion  ;  moreover,  We  shall  at  all  times  have  power  to  restore 
such  persons  as  may  at  any  time  have  been  expelled,  both  to  the 
enjoyment  of  the  Decoration  and  Pension. 

Given  at  Our  Court  at  Buckingham  Palace,  this  twenty-ninth 
day  of  January,  in  the  nineteenth  year  of  Our  Reign,  and  in  the 
Year  of  Our  Lord,  1856. 

By  Her  Majesty's  command, 

(Signed)        Panmure. 
To  Our  Principal  Secretary  of  State  for  War. 

On  August  10,  1858,  the  London  Gazette  announced  that  by  a 
Warrant  under  her  Royal  Sign  Manual,  her  Majesty  was  pleased 
to  direct  that  the  Victoria  Cross  should  be  conferred,  "  subject  to 
the  rules  and  ordinances  already  made,  on  Officers  and  Men  of 


APPENDIX  A  267 

Her  Majesty's  Naval  and  Military  Services,  who  may  perform 
acts  of  conspicuous  courage  and  bravery  under  circumstances  of 
extreme  danger,  such  as  the  occurrence  of  a  fire  on  board  ship,  or 
of  the  foundering  of  a  vessel  at  sea,  or  under  any  other  circum- 
stances in  which,  through  the  courage  and  devotion  displayed, 
life  or  public  property  may  be  saved." 

As  noted  in  chapter  15,  it  was  under  this  clause  that  Private 
O'Hea,  Dr.  Douglas,  and  several  others  were  gazetted. 

Provision  for  the  award  of  the  V.C.  to  Messrs.  Kavanagh, 
Mangles,  and  McDonell,  who  were  civilians,  was  made  by  a 
supplemental  Warrant,  which  was  announced  in  the  Gazette  on 
8th  July,  1859,  in  the  following  terms  : — 

The  Queen  having  been  graciously  pleased  by  a  Warrant 
under  her  Royal  Sign  Manual,  bearing  date  13th  December 
1858,  to  declare  that  Non-Military  Persons  who,  as  Volunteers, 
have  borne  arms  against  the  Mutineers,  both  at  Lucknow  and 
elsewhere,  during  the  late  operations  in  India,  shall  be  considered 
as  eligible  to  receive  the  decoration  of  the  Victoria  Cross,  subject 
to  the  rules  and  ordinances,  etc.  etc.  .  .  .  provided  that  it  be 
established  in  any  case  that  the  person  was  serving  under  the 
orders  of  a  General  or  other  Officer  in  Command  of  Troops  in 
the  Field  ;  her  Majesty  has  accordingly  been  pleased  to  signify 
her  intention  to  confer  this  high  distinction  on  the  under- 
mentioned gentlemen,  etc.  etc. 

The  Warrant  given  below,  which  was  issued  in  1881,  speaks 
for  itself.  It  merely  restates  in  plain,  unmistakable  language 
the  purport  of  the  original  Warrant  of  1856. 

Boyal  Warrant. — Qualification  required  for  the  Decoration  of  the 
Victoria  Gross. 

(This  Warrant  applies  also  to  the  Auxiliary  and  Reserve  Forces.) 
Victoria  R. 

Whereas  doubts  have  arisen  as  to  the  qualification  required  for 
the  decoration  of  the  Victoria  Cross,  and  whereas  the  description 
of  such  qualification  in  Our  Warrant  of  29th  January,  1856,  is 
not  uniform.  Our  will  and  pleasure  is  that  the  qualification 
shall  be  "  conspicuous  bravery  or  devotion  to  the  country  in  the 
presence  of  the  enemy,"  and  that  Our  Warrant  of  29th  January, 
1856,  shall  be  read  and  interpreted  accordingly. 

It  is  Our  further  will  and  pleasure  that  Officers  and  Men  of 
Our  Auxiliary  and  Reserve  Forces  (Naval  and  Military)  shall  be 


268  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

eligible  for  the  decoration  of  the  Victoria  Cross  under  the 
conditions  of  Our  said  Warrant,  as  amended  by  this  Our 
Warrant. 

Given  at  Our  Court  at  Osborne,  this  23rd  day  of  April,  1881, 
in  the  forty-fourth  year  of  Our  Reign. 

By  Her  Majesty's  Command, 

Hugh  C.  E.  Childers. 

In  the  same  year,  1881,  appeared  another  Warrant  which 
included  as  eligible  for  the  Decoration  members  of  the  Indian 
Ecclesiastical  Establishment,  provided  that  they  were  serving 
under  a  general  or  other  officer  in  command  of  troops  in  the 
field.     By  this  provision  the  Rev.  J.  W.  Adams  was  gazetted  V.C. 

Under  a  later  Warrant,  dated  July  18,  1898,  authority  was 
given  to  increase  the  Victoria  Cross  pension  from  £10  to  £50 
a  year,  the  condition  to  be  satisfied  in  such  cases  being  inability 
to  earn  a  livelihood,  in  consequence  of  age  or  infirmity  occasioned 
by  causes  beyond  an  Annuitant's  control. 

The  last  Royal  Warrant  to  be  issued  bears  date  August  8, 
1902,  and  runs  as  follows  : — 

The  King  has  been  graciously  pleased  to  approve  of  the 
Decoration  of  the  Victoria  Cross  being  delivered  to  the  re'pre- 
sentatives  of  the  undermentioned  officers,  non-commissioned 
officers  and  men  who  fell  during  the  recent  operations  in  South 
Africa,  in  the  performance  of  acts  of  valour  which  would,  in  the 
opinion  of  the  Commander-in-Chief  of  the  Forces  in  the  Field, 
have  entitled  them  to  be  recommended  for  that  distinction  had 
they  survived : — (Here  follow  the  names  of  Captain  Younger, 
Lieut.  Digby-Jones,  and  others.) 


APPENDIX    B. 


THE  FIKST  PKESENTATION  OF  THE  V.C. 

The  names  of  those  who  received  the  Victoria  Cross  at  the  first 

distribution  in  Hyde  Park,   on  Friday,  June  26th,  1857,  are  given 
below,  in  the  order  in  which  they  were  presented  to  her  Majesty. 

The  Navy. 

Raby,  H.  J Commander. 

Bythesea,  J Commander. 

BuRGOYNE,  H.  T Commander. 

Lucas,  CD Lieutenant. 

Hewett,  W.  N.  W Lieutenant. 

ROBARTS,  J Gunner. 

Kellaway,  J Boatswain. 

Cooper,  H Boatswain. 

Trewavas,  J Seaman. 

Reeves,  T Seaman. 

Curtis,  H Boatswain's  Mate. 

Ingouville,  G Captain  of  Mast. 

The  Royal  Marines. 

DowELL,  G.  D Lieutenant. 

Wilkinson,  T Bombardier. 

The  Army. 


Grieve,  J.  . 
Parkes,  S.  . 
Dunn,  A.  R. 
Berryman,  J.    . 


Sergeant-Major    , 
Private 

Lieutenant  . 

Troop  Sergt.  -Maj. 
269 


2nd       Dragoons       (Scots 

Greys). 
4th       Light       Dragoons 

(Queen's  Own). 
11th       Hussars       (Prince 

Albert's  Own). 
17  th  Lancers. 


270 


THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 


The  Army— continued. 


Dickson,  C. 

Colonel 

Henry,  A. . 

Captain 

Davis,  G.   . 

Captain 

Cambridge,  D.  . 

Sergeant 

Arthur,  T. 

Gunner  and  Driver 

Graham,  G. 

Lieutenant  . 

Koss,  J.      .       .       . 

Corporal 

Lendrim,  W.  J. 

Corporal 

Perie,  J.    .       .       . 

Sapper . 

Percy,  Hon.  H.  H.  M. 

Colonel 

Russell,  Sir  C,  Bart. 

Brevet-Major 

Ablett,  a. 

Sergeant 

Palmer,  A. 

Private 

Goodlake,  G.  L. 

Brevet-Major 

Conolly,  J.  a.  . 

Brevet-Major 

Strong,  G. 

Private 

Lindsay,  R.  J.  . 

Brevet-Major 

McKechnie,  J.  . 

Sergeant 

Reynolds,  W.  . 

Private 

Grady,  T.  . 

Private 

Hope,  W.   ,       .       . 

Lieutenant  . 

Hale,  T.  E. 

Assist.  -Surg. 

Hughes,  M. 

Private 

Norman,  W. 

Private 

MOYNIHAN,  A.    . 

Ensign 

Evans,  S.  . 

Private 

Lyons,  J.   . 

Private 

O'Connor,  L.     . 

Lieutenant  . 

Shields,  R. 

Corporal 

Coffey,  W. 

Private 

Sims,  J.  J.  . 

Private 

McWheeney,  W. 

Sergeant 

Walters,  G.     . 

Sergeant 

Owens,  J.  . 

Corporal 

LUMLEY,  C.  H.    . 

Brevet-Major 

Coleman,  J. 

Sergeant 

Royal  Artillery. 
Royal  Artillery. 
Royal  Artillery. 
Royal  Artillery. 
Royal  Artillery. 
Royal  Engineers. 
Royal  Engineers. 
Royal  Engineers. 
Royal  Engineers. 
Grenadier  Guards. 
Grenadier  Guards. 
Grenadier  Guards. 
Grenadier  Guards. 
Coldstream  Guards. 
Coldstream    Guards    (late 

49th). 
Coldstream  Guards. 
Scots  Fusilier  Guards. 
Scots  Fusilier  Guards. 
Scots  Fusilier  Guards. 
4th  (King's  Own)  Foot. 
7th  Royal  Fusiliers. 
7  th  Royal  Fusiliers. 
7th  Royal  Fusiliers. 
7th  Royal  Fusiliers. 
8th  (The  King's)  Foot. 
19th  (1st  Yorkshire  North 

Riding). 
19th  (1st  Yorkshire  North 

Riding). 
23rd  Royal  Welsh  Fusiliers. 
23rd  Royal  Welsh  Fusiliers. 
34th  (Cumberland)  Foot. 
34th  (Cumberland)  Foot. 
44th  (East  Essex)  Foot. 
49th      (Herts,       Princess 

Charlotte  of  Wales's). 
49th      (Herts,      Princess 

Charlotte  of  Wales's). 
97th  (The  Earl  of  Ulster's) 

Foot. 
97th  (The  Earl  of  Ulster's) 

Foot. 


APPENDIX 

B                                  271 

The  Aruy— continued. 

Clifford,  Hon.  H.  H. 

Brevet-Major 

.    Rifle  Brigade. 

Wheatley,  F.   . 

Private 

.    Rifle  Brigade. 

CUNINGHAME,W.  J.  M 

.  Captain 

.    Rifle  Brigade. 

Knox,  J.  S. 

Lieutenant  . 

.    Rifle  Brigade  (late  Sergeant 
Scots  Fusilier  Guards). 

McGregor,  R.   . 

Private 

.     Rifle  Brigade. 

HUMPSTON,  R.     . 

Private 

.     Rifle  Brigade. 

Bradshaw,  J.    . 

Private 

.     Rifle  Brigade. 

BOURCHIER,  C.  T.        . 

Brevet-Major 

Rifle  Brigade. 

APPENDIX    0. 


WARS  AND  CAMPAIGNS  IN  WHICH  THE  VICTORIA  CROSS 
HAS  BEEN  WON,  FROM  1854  TO  1904. 


No. 

of  Crosses 

gained. 

Crimea  and  Baltic 

,        , 

.     1854-5 

111 

Persia .... 

,        . 

.     1856-7 

3 

Indian  Mutiny    . 

, 

.     1857-9 

.     182 

China    (including    the 

Taiping 

Re- 

bellion)    . 

, 

.     1860-2 ;  1900      . 

10 

New  Zealand 

•        < 

.     1860-1 ;  1863-6  . 

15 

India  (Umbeyla) 

. 

.     1863    . 

2 

Japan  .... 

. 

.     1864    . 

3 

India  (Bhotan)    . 

. 

.     1864-5 

2 

•Canada 

, 

.     1866    . 

1 

West  Africa  (Gambia) 

,        , 

.     1866;  1892. 

2 

•Andaman  Islands 

, 

.     1867    . 

5 

Abyssinia    . 

. 

.     1867-8 

2 

India  (Looshai)    . 

. 

.     1871-2 

1 

Ashanti 

, 

.     1873-4;  1900      . 

6 

Perak. 

, 

.     1875-6 

1 

Quetta  (Beloochistan) 

. 

.     1877    . 

1 

South  Africa  (Kaffir  War) . 

.     1877-8         .        . 

1 

Afghanistan 

. 

.     1878-80 

16 

Zululand 

. 

.     1879    . 

23 

Basutoland . 

.        , 

.     1879  and  1881     . 

6 

India  (Naga  Hills)      . 

.        , 

.     1879-80       . 

1 

South  Africa  (First  Boer  War)  . 

.     1880-1 

6 

Egypt  and  Soudan 

, 

.     1882;  1884-5       . 

8 

Burma 

. 

.     1889;  1893. 

3 

Manipur  (N.E.  India) 

. 

.     1891    .... 

1 

India  (Hunza-Nagar) . 

• 

.     1891     . 

3 

Carry  forward, 

415 

*Notgaii 

led  in  action. 
>7a 

APPENDIX  C 

273 

No.  of  Crosses 

gained. 

Brought  forward,    .     415 

Chitral        .        /      . 

.     1895    . 

1 

Matabeleland      .... 

1896    . 

3 

India  (Punjab  Frontier)     . 

1897-8 

11 

Soudan  (Khartoum)    . 

.     1898    . 

5 

Crete 

1898    . 

1 

South  Africa  (Second  Boer  War) 

1899-1902 

78 

Somaliland 

1902-4 

6 

Nigeria       .        .        .        . 

1903    . 

1 

Tibet  .-      

1904    . 

1 

Total 

522 

i8 


APPENDIX    D. 


COMPLETE  ALPHABETICAL  LIST  OF  RECIPIENTS 
OF  THE  V.C. 

[The  date  given  in  each  instance  denotes  when  the  act  of  bravery 
was  performed  for  which  the  decoration  was  awarded.  The  names 
printed  in  italics  are  those  of  recipients  who  are  still  living.  To  assist 
identification,  former,  as  well  as  present,  titles  of  regiments  are  given 
in  cases  where  the  V.C.  was  won  before  the  Territorial  System  was 
adopted.  Example:  43rd  R.  (old  title),  now  known  as  (1st  Batt.) 
Oxfordshire  Light  Infantry.] 

Crimea  .     .    .1855 
Afghanistan    .  1879 


Ablett,  Private  A. 
Adams,  Rev.  J.  W. 


Adams y  Lt.-Col.  {now 

Col.)B.B, 
Addison,  Private  H.  . 
AiKMAN,   Lieut,    (late 

Col.)F.  R. 
AlTKEN,    Lieut,    (late 

Col.)R.  H.  M. 
Albrecht,  Trooper  H. 
Alexander,  Private  J. 
Allen,  Corporal  W.    . 

Anderson,  Private  C. 
Anson,   Captain   (late 

Lt.-Col.)  the  Hon.  A. 

H.  A. 
Arthur,  Gunner  T.     . 
ASHFORD,  Private  T.  . 
Atkinson,  Sergeant  A. 
A  YLMER,  Captain  [now 

Col.)F.  J. 


Grenadier  Guards    . 
Bengal    Eccles.   Estab 

lishment 
Indian  Army  .    .    , 

43rd  R.  (Oxf.  L.L)  . 
Indian  Army  .     .    . 


Imperial  Light  Horse 
90th  R.  (Scottish  Rifles) 
24th     R.     (S.     Wales 

Borderers) 
2nd  Dragoon  Guards    . 
84th  (York  and  Lanes. ) 

R. 

Royal  ArtUlery  .     .     . 
7th  R.  (Royal  Fusiliers) 

Yorkshire  R 

Royal  Engineers .    .    . 

874 


Upper  Swat    .  1897 

Indian  Mutiny  1859 
„        1858 

„        1857 

South  Africa  .  1900 
Crimea  .  .  .  1855 
Zululand     .     .1879 

Indian  Mutiny  1858 
1857 


Crimea  .  .  .  1855 
Afghanistan  .  1880 
South  Africa  .  1900 
Nilt  ....  1891 


APPENDIX  D 


275 


Babtie,    Major    [now 

LL-Col.)  W. 
Baker,  Lieut.  C.  G.    . 
Bambrick,  Private  V. 

Bankes,  Cornet  W.G.H. 
Barry,  Private  J.  .    . 
Baxter,  Trooper  F.  W. 
Beach,  Private  T.  .    . 
BEESy  Private  W.    .     . 

Beet,  Corporal  H.  C.  . 
Bell,  Private  D.     .     . 

Bell,     Captain     (late 

Maj.-Gen.)E.  W.  D. 
Bell,  Lieut.  F.  W.  . 
Bell,  Lieut,  (late  Col.) 

M.S. 
Beresford,      Captain 

(late  Gen.)  Lord  W. 

L.  De  la  Poer 
Bergin,  Private  J. .    . 
Berryman,        Troop- 

Sergt.  -  Major      (late 

Major)  J. 
BiSDEE,  Private  (now 

Lieut. )  J.  H. 
Blair,    Captain    (late 

Gen.)  J. 
Blair,     Lieut,     (late 

Gen.)  R. 
Bogle,     Lieut,     (late 

Major)  A.  C. 
BoiSRAGON,  Lieut,  {now 

Major)  G.  H. 
Booth,  Col.-Sergt.  A. . 
Boulger,  Lance-Corpl. 

(late  Lt. -Col.)  A.  . 
Bourchier,  Lieut,  (late 

Col.)  C.  T. 
Boyes,  Midshipman  D. 

G. 
Bradley,  Driver  F.  G. 


Royal  Army  Med.  Corps    South  Africa  .  1899 


Indian  Police  .... 
60th  Rifles  (King's  Royal 

Rifle  Corps) 
7th  Hussars  .... 
Royal  Irish  R.  .  .  . 
Bulawayo  Field  Force . 
55th  (Border)  R.  .  .  . 
Sherwood        Foresters 

(Derbyshire  R.) 

24th     R.      (S.     Wales 

Borderers) 
23rd  R.  (Royal  Welsh 

Fusiliers) 
W.  Australian  Mt.  Inf. 
Royal  Engineers .     .     . 

9th  Lancers    .... 


33rd  (W.  Riding)  R. 
17th  Lancers  .    .    . 


Tasmanian       Imperial 

Bushmen 
Indian  Army  .... 

2nd  Dragoon  Guards    . 

78th    (Seaforth)    High- 
landers 
Indian  Army  .... 

80th  (S.  Staff's.)  R.   .     . 
84th  (York  and  Lanes. ) 

R. 
Rifle  Brigade  .... 

Royal  Navy    .... 

Royal  Field  Artillery  . 


Indian  Mutiny  1858 
1858 


>>  »> 


,,           ,,  1858 

South  Africa  .  1901 

Rhodesia    .  .  1897 

Crimea  .     .  .  1854 

South  Africa  .  1901 

1900 

Andaman  I.  .  1867 

Crimea  .    .  .  1854 

South  Africa  .  1901 

Ashanti.    .  .  1874 

Zululand    .  .  1879 


Abyssinia 
Crimea  . 


1868 
1854 


South  Africa  .  1900 

Indian  Mutiny  1857 

„        1857 

»        1857 

Hunza-Nagar  .  1891 

Zululand    .    .  1879 
Indian  Mutiny  1857 

Crimea  .    .    .  1854 

Japan    .     .     .  1864 

South  Africa  .  1901 


276 


THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 


Bradshaw,  Private  J. 

Bradshavv,  Assistant- 
Surgeon  W. 

Brennan,  Bombardier 
J. 

Bromhead,  Lieut,  (late 
Major)  G.  S. 

Brown,  Lieut,  (late 
Col.)  F.  D.  M. 

Brown,  Trooper  P. 

Brown-Synge-Hutch- 
INSON,  Major  E.  D. 

Browne,  Lieut,  (now 
Brig. -Gen.)  E.  S. 

Browne,  Captain  {now 
CoL)H.  G. 

Browne,  Brevet-Major 
(late  Gen.)  Sir  S.  J. 

Buckley,  J.,  Deputy- 
Assist. -Commiss.  of 
Ordnance,  Bengal 

Buckley,  Capt.  C.  W. 

Buller,  Captain  {now 
Gen.  Sir)  R.  H. 

Burgoyne,  Capt.  H.  T. 

BuRSLEM,  Lieut,  (late 
Capt.)  N. 

Butler,  Lieut,  (late 
Major)  T.  A. 

Byrne,  Private  J.     .    . 

Byrne,  Private  J.    .    . 
Byrne,  Private  T.    .    . 
Bythesea,  Lieut,  (late 
Eear- Admiral)  J. 

Cadell,    Lieut,    {now 

Col.)  T. 
Cafe,  Lieut,  {now  Gen. ) 

W.M. 
Cambridge,  Sergt.  D. 
Cameron,  Lieut,  {noio 

Col.)  A.  S. 
Carlin,  Private  P.     . 


Rifle  Brigade  .... 
90th  R.  (Scottish  Rifles) 

Royal  Artillery  .     .     . 

24th     R.     (S.     Wales 

Borderers) 
101st  R.  (Royal  Munster 

Fusiliers) 
Cape  Mounted  Rifles    . 
14th  Hussars  .... 

24th     R.     (S.     Wales 

Borderers) 
32ndR.(D.ofCom.L.L) 

Indian  Army  .... 


Crimea  .     .     .  1855 
Indian  Mutiny  1857 

,,  ,,        I808 

Zululand     .     .  1879 

Indian  Mutiny  1857 

Basutoland      .  1879 
South  Africa  .  1900 

Zululand     .     .  1879 

Indian  Mutiny  1857 

>>  »>        1858 

1857 


Royal  Navy    ....  Crimea  .     .  .  1855 

60th  R.  (King's  Royal  Zululand     .  .  1879 

Rifle  Corps) 

Royal  Navy    ....  Crimea  .    .  .  1855 

67th  (Hampshire)  R.     .  China     .     .  .  1860 

101st  R.  (Royal  Mun-  Indian  Mutiny  1858 

ster  Fusiliers) 

86th    R.    (Royal    Irish         „           „  1858 

Rifles 

68th  R.  (Durham  L.I.)  Crimea  .    .  .  1854 

21st  Lancers    ....  Khartoum  .  .  1898 

Royal  Navy    ....  Baltic    .     .  .  1854 


104th  R.  (Royal 

ster  Fusiliers) 

Indian  Army  .    . 

Royal  Artillery 
72nd  (Seaforth) 

landers 
13th  R.  (Somerset  L.I.) 


Mun-    Indian  Mutiny  1857 


High- 


»»  »>        1858 

Crimea  .     .     .  1855 
Indian  Mutiny  1858 


APPENDIX  D 


277 


Carter,  Lieut.  H.  A. 
Champion,    Sergeant- 
Major  J. 
Channer,  Colonel  (late 

Gen.)G.  N. 
Chaplin,  Ensign  {now 

Col.)  J.  W. 
Chard,     Lieut,     (late 

Col.)  J.  R.  M. 
Chase,  Captain   {now 

Col.)  W.  St.  L. 
Chicken,  G.  B.  .    .    . 
Clements,  Corpl.  J.  J. 
Clifford,  Lieut,  (late 

Major-Gen.  Hon.  Sir) 

H.  H. 
Clogstoun,  Capt.  H. 

M. 
COBBE,  Capt.  {now  Lt.- 

Col.)A.S. 
Cochrane,  Lieut,  (late 

Col.)  H.  S. 
Cockburn,  Lieut.  H. 

Z.  C. 
Coffey,  Private  W.    . 
COGHILL,  Lieut.  N.  J. 

A. 
Coghlan,     Col.-Sergt. 

{now  Sergt. -Major)  C. 
Coleman,  Sergeant  J. 

COLLIS,  Gunner  J.   .     . 
COLVIN,     Lieut,    {now 

Major)  J.  M.  C. 
Commerell,  Lieut. 

(late     Admiral     Sir) 

J.  E. 
CONGREVE,  Capt.   {now 

Col.)  W.  N. 
Connolly,  Gunner  W. 
Connors,  Private  J.    . 

CoNOLLY,   Lieut,   (late 
Lt.-Col.)  J.  A. 


Indian  Army  .... 
8tli  Hussars     .... 

Indian  Army  .... 

67th  (Hampshire)  R.     . 

Royal  Engineers .     .     . 

Indian  Army  .... 

Royal  (Indian)  Navy    . 
Rimington's  Guides 
Rifle  Brioade  .... 


Indian  Army  .... 
Indian  Army  .... 

86th  R.  (Royal  Irish 
Rifles) 

Royal  Canadian  Dra- 
goons 

34th  (Border)  R. .     .     . 

24th  R.  (S.  Wales 
Borderers) 

75th  (Gordon)  High- 
landers 

97th  (Royal  West  Kent) 
R. 

Royal  Horse  Artillery 

Royal  Engineers 
(Indian) 

Royal  Navy    .... 


Rifle  Brigade  . 


Somaliland  .  1903 
Indian  Mutiny  1858 

Perak     .     .  .  1875 

China     .     .  .1860 

Zululand    .  .  1879 

Afghanistan  .  1880 

Indian  Mutiny  1858 
South  Africa  .  1900 
Crimea  .     .     .  1854 

Indian  Mutiny  1859 

Somaliland      .  1902 

Indian  Mutiny  1858 

South  Africa  .  1900 

Crimea  .  .  .  1855 
Zululand    .     .  1879 

Indian  Mutiny  1857 

Crimea  .     .    .1855 

Afghanistan  .  1880 
Mamund     .     .  1897 

Crimea  .  .  .  1855 
South  Africa  .  1899 


Bengal  Horse  Artillery  Indian  Mutiny  1857 

3rd  R.  (East  Kent  R.,  Crimea  .     .     .  1855 

"The  Buffs") 

49th  (Royal  Berks)  R.  .  „       ...  1854 


278 


THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 


Cook,  Captain  J.     .    . 
Cook,  Private  W.    .    . 

Cooper,  Boatswain  H. 
Cooper,  Private  J. .    . 

CORBETT,  Private  F.    . 

COSTELLO,  Lieut,  {noiv 

Capt.)E.  W. 
CouLSON,  Lieut.  G.  H. 

B. 
Craig,  Sergeant  J.  .    . 
Crandon,  Pte.  H.  D.  . 
CREAGHy    Copt,    (now 

Ma j. -Gen.  Sir)  O'M. 
Crean,  Surg.-Capt.  T. 

J. 
Crimmin,  Surg,   {now 

Lt.-Col.)J. 
Crowe,  Lieut.  J.  P.  H. 

CUBITT,    Lieut,     (late 

Col.)W.  G. 
CUNINGHAME,      Lieut. 

(lateCol.Sir)W.J.M. 
CuRTISi  Private   {now 

Corporal)  A.  E, 
Curtis,      Boatswain's 

Mate  H. 

Dalton,  Assistant- 
Commissary  J.  L. 

Danaher,  Trooper 
{now  Sergeant)  J. 

Daniels,  Midshipman 
E.  St.  J. 

D'Arcy,  Captain  C.     . 

Daunt,  Lieut,  (late 
Col.)  J.  C.  C. 

Davjes,  Lieiit.  {now 
Capt.)  L.  A.  E.  P. 

Davis,  Captain  (late 
Maj.-Gen.)G. 


Indian  Army  .... 
42nd     (Black     Watch) 

Highlanders 
Royal  Navy    .... 
24th     R.     (S.     Wales 

Borderers) 
60th  R.  (King's  Royal 

Rifle  Corps) 
Indian  Army  .... 

King's    Own    Scottish 

Borderers 
Scots  Guards  .... 
18th  Hussars  .... 
Indian  Army  .... 

Imperial  Light  Horse  . 

Indian  Medical  Service 

78th    (Seaforth)    High- 
landers 
Indian  Army  .... 

Rifle  Brigade  .... 

East  Surrey  R.    .    .     . 

Royal  Navy    .... 


Afghanistan  .  1878 
Indian  Mutiny  1859 

Crimea  .  .  .  1855 
Andaman  I.    .  1867 

Egypt    .     .     .  1882 

Malakand  .     .  1897 

South  Africa  .  1901 

Crimea  .  .  .  1855 
South  Africa  .  1901 
Afghanistan   .  1879 

South  Africa  .  1901 

Burma    .     .     .  1889 

Indian  Mutiny  1857 

»       1857 

Crimea  .    .    .  1854 

South  Africa  .  1900 

Crimea  .    .     .1855 


Army  Service  Corps     .  Zululand     .    .  1879 

Nourse's  Horse    .     .     .  South  Africa  .1881 

Royal  Navy    ....  Crimea  .     .    1854-5 

Frontier  Light  Horse  .  Zululand     .     .  1879 

Indian  Army  ....  Indian  Mutiny  1867 

King's      Royal      Rifle  South  Africa  .  1901 

Corps 

Royal  Artillery  .     .     .  Crimea  .     .     .1855 


APPENDIX  D 


279 


Davis,  Private  J.    .    . 

Day,  Lieut,  (late  Capt.) 

G.  F. 
De  Montmorency,  Lt. 

Hon.  R.  H.  L.  J. 
Dempsey,  Private  D.  . 
Diamond,  Sergeant  B. 
Dick-Cunyngham,  Lt. 

(late  Lt. . Col.  )W.  H. 
Dickson,  Lieut,    (late 

Gen.  Sir)  C. 
DiGBY  -  Jones,   Lieut. 

R.  J.  T. 
DiVANE,  Private  J. 

Dixon,    Captain    (late 

Maj.-Gen.)M.C. 
DONOHOE,  Private  P.  . 
DOOGAN,  Private  J.      . 
Do  UGLAS,  Assist.  -Surg. 

{now  Lt. -Col.)  a  M. 
Douglas,  Lieut,  {now 

Capt.)  H.  E.  M. 
Dow  ELL,   Lieut,    {now 

Lt.-Col.)  G.  D. 
DOWLING,  Private  W. 
Down,  Ensign  J.  T.    . 
DOXAT,  Lieut.  A.  C.    . 
Duffy,  Private  T.  .    . 

DuGDALE,  Lieut.  F.  B. 
DuNDAS,  Lieut.  J.  .  . 
DUNLEY,  L.-Corpl.  J.  . 

Dunn,    Lieut,    (after- 
wards Lt.  -Col. )  A.  R. 
DURRANT,  Private   E. 
Dynon,  Sergeant  D.    , 


42nd     (Black     Watch)    Indian  Mutiny  1868 

Highlanders 
Royal  Navy    ....     Crimea  .     .    .  1855 


21st  Lancers    .... 

10th  (Lincolnshire)  R.  . 
Bengal  Horse  Artillery 
92nd    (Gordon)    High- 
landers 
Royal  Artillery  .    .    . 

Royal  Engineers .     .     . 

60th  R.  (King's  Royal 

Rifle  Corps) 
Royal  Artillery  .     .     . 

9th  Lancers     .... 

1st  Dragoon  Guards 
24th     R.     (S.     Wales 

Borderers) 
Royal    Army   Medical 

Corps 
Royal  Marine  Artillery 

32ndR.(D.ofCom.L.L) 
57th  (W.  Middlesex)  R. 
Imperial  Yeomanry 
102nd  R.  (Royal  Dublin 

Fusiliers) 
5th  Lancers     .... 
Royal  Engineers .     .     . 
93rd  (Arg.   and  Suth.) 

Highlanders 
11th  Hussars  .... 

Rifle  Brigade  .... 
63rd  R.  (Shrops.  L.I.)  . 


Khartoum 


1898 


Ind.  Mutiny  1857-8 

»        .  1857 

Afghanistan    .  1879 


Crimea 


1864 


South  Africa  .  1900 


Indian  Mutiny  1857 


Crimea 


1855 


Indian  Mutiny  1857 
South  Africa  .  1881 
Andaman  I.    .  1867 

South  Africa  .  1900 


Baltic 


1855 


Indian  Mutiny  1857 
New  Zealand  .  1863 
South  Africa  .  1900 
Indian  Mutiny  1857 

South  Africa  .  1901 
Bhotan  .  .  .  1865 
Indian  Mutiny  1857 


Crimea 


1854 


South  Africa  .  1900 
Indian  Mutiny  1857 


Edwards,  Private  T.  .     42nd     (Black     Watch)    Soudan  .     .     .  1884 

Highlanders 
Edwards,  Lieut,  {now    Highland     Light     In-    Egypt    .     .     .  1882 
Maj.)  W.  M.  M.  fantry 


28o  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

Elphinstone,     Lieut.  Koyal  Engineers .     .    .    Crimea  .    .    .  1855 

(late  Maj.-Gen.   Sir) 

H.  C. 

Elton,  Capt.  (late  Lt.-  55th  (Border)  R.  .    .    .         „        ...  1855 

Col.)RC. 

ENGLEHEART,Sergt.H.  10th  Hussars  ....     South  Africa  .  1900 

English,  Lieut.  W.  J.  2nd  Scottish  Horse  .     .        ,,          ,,        .  1901 

EsMONDE,    Capt.   (late  18th  (Royal  Irish)  R.    .    Crimea  .    .     .  1855 

Lieut. -Col.)  T. 

Evans,  Private  S.   .     .  19th  (Yorkshire)  R. .    .         „        ...  1855 

Farmer,  Sergeant  D.  .  Cameron  Highlanders  .     South  Africa  .  1900 

Farmer,  Lance-Corpl.  Army  Hospital  Corps   .        ,,          d        •  1881 

(noiu  Corporal)  J.  J. 

Farquharson,    Lieut.  42nd     (Black     Watch)    Indian  Mutiny  1858 

F.  E.  H.  Highlanders 

Farrell,  Q.-M.  J.  .     .  17th  Lancers  ....     Crimea  .     .     .1854 

Ffrench,  Lieut.  A.  K.  53rd  R.  (Shrops.  L.I.)  .     Indian  Mutiny  1857 

FlNCASTLE,Lieut.(noio  16th  Lancers  ....     Upper  Swat    .  1897 

Maj.)  Viscount 

FiNDLATER,  Piper  G. .  Gordon  Highlanders     .    Dargai  .    .     .  1897 

Firth,  Sergeant  W.    .  West  Riding  R.  .     .     .     South  Africa  .  1900 

Fitz-Clarence,  Capt.  Royal  Fusiliers    .     .     .        „          ,,        .  1899 

{now  Maj. )  C. 

Fitzgerald, Gunner  R.  Bengal  Horse  Artillery     Indian  Mutiny  1857 

Fitzgibbon,   Hospital-  Indian  Medical  Service     China     .    .     .  1860 

Apprentice  A.  F. .     . 

FITZPATRICK,  Private  94th     R.     (Connaught    Basutoland      .  1879 

F.  Rangers) 

Flawn,  Private  T.  .     .  „                  n                  ,»          »        •  1879 

Flinn,  Drunmier  T.     .  64th  (N.  Staff.)  R.    .     .     Indian  Mutiny  1857 

Forrest,  Captain  G.   .  Indian  Army  ....         ,,           ,,        1857 

FOSBERY,  Lieut,  {now  „         „       ....    Umbeyla    .     .  1863 

Lt.-Col.)  G.  V. 

Fowler,  Private  {now  90th  R.  (Scottish  Rifles)    Zululand     .     .  1879 

Sergeant)  E. 

Eraser,    Major    (late  7th  Hussars     ....     Indian  Mutiny  1858 

Gen.  Sir)  C.  C. 

Freeman,  Private  J.   .  9th  Lancers     ....    Indian  Mutiny  1857 

Gardiner,  Col.-Sergt.  57th  (Middlesex)  R.      .    Crimea  .    .    .  1855 

G. 

Gardner,        Quarter-  42nd     (Black     Watch)    Indian  Mutiny  1858 

Master-Sergt.  W.  Highlanders 


APPENDIX  D 


281 


Garvin,  Col.-Sergt.  S. 

GiFFORD,  Lieut.  E.  F. 

{now  Major  Lord) 
Gill,  Sergt, -Major  P. . 
GlasOCK,  Driver  H.  H. 
GOATE,    Lance  -  Corpl. 

(lateCorpl.)  W. 
GOODFELLOW,      Lieut. 

{now  Lieut. -Gen.)  C.  A. 
GooDLAKE,  Capt.  (late 

Lt.-Gen.)  G.  L. 
Gordon,  Capt.  W.  E. . 
Gordon,   Lance-Corpl. 

{now  Sergt. )  W.  J. 
Gorman,  Seaman  J.  H. 
GOUGH,  Capt.  {now  Gen. 

Sir)  a  J.  S. 
GouQH,     Lieut,     {now 

Gen.  Sii')  H.  H. 
GoUGH,     Major     {now 

Lt.-Col.)J.  E. 
Grady,    Private   (late 

Sergt.)  T. 
Graham,   Lieut,   (late 

Lt.-Gen.  Sir)  G. 
Graham,  Private  P.    . 
Grant,    Lieut,     {noiu 

Major)  C.  J.  W. 
Grant,  Lieut.  J.  D.    . 
Grant,  Private  P.  .    . 

Grant,    Sergeant    R. 

(orig.  gazetted  Ewart) 
Green,    Private    (late 

Col.-Sergt.)  P. 
Grieve,    Sergt. -Major 

J. 
Griffiths,  Private  W. 

Guise,  Major  (Lt.  -Gen. ) 

J.  C. 
Guy,  Midshipman  {now 

Lieut.)  B.  J.  D. 


60th  R.  (King's  Royal 

Rifle  Corps) 
24th     R.     (S.     Wales 

Borderers) 
Indian  Army  .... 
Royal  Horse  Artillery . 
9th  Lancers     .... 

Royal  Engineers     .     . 

Coldstream  Guards  .    . 

Gordon  Highlanders     . 
West  India  R.     .    .     . 

Royal  Navy    .... 
Indian  Army  .... 


Rifle  Brigade  .... 

4th(Royal  Lancaster)  R. 

Royal  Engineers      .     . 

90th  R.  (Scottish  Rifles) 
Indian  Army  .... 


93rd  (Arg.  and  Suth.) 
Highlanders 

5th  R.  (Northumber- 
land Fusiliers) 

75th  (Gordon)  High- 
landers 

2nd  Dragoons  (Scots 
Greys) 

24th  R.  (S.  Wales 
Borderers) 

90th  R.  (Scottish  Rifles) 

Royal  Navy    .... 


Indian  Mutiny  1857 

Ashanti       .  1873-4 

Indian  Mutiny  1857 
South  Africa  .  1900 
Indian  Mutiny  1858 


»»  »» 


1859 

Crimea  .    .    .  1854 

South  Africa  .  1900 
Gambia      .    .  1892 

Crimea  .     .     .  1854 
Ind.  Mutiny  1857-8 

1857-8 

Somaliland      .  1903 

Crimea  .    .    .  1854 

...  1855 

Indian  Mutiny  1857 
Manipur     .     .  1891 

Tibet      .     .    .  1904 
Indian  Mutiny  1857 


i»  »» 


>>  >> 


1857 
1857 

Crimea  .  .  .  1854 
Andaman  I.  .  1867 
Indian  Mutiny  1857 
China     .     .     .  1900 


282 


THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 


Hackett,  Lieut,  (late 

Lt.-Col.)  T.  B. 
Hale,  Assist. -Surgeon 

{now  Surg.  -Maj.  )T.  E. 
Hall,  Seaman  W.  .  . 
Halliday,  Capt.  {now 

Major)  L.  S.  T. 
Hamilton,  Capt.  {now 

Major -Gen.)  T.  de  C. 
Hamilton,  Lieut.  W. 

R.  P. 
Hammond,  Capt.  {noio 

Col.  Sir)  A.  G. 
Hampton,  Sergeant  H. 
Hancock,  Private  T.  . 
Hardham,  Far.-Major 

{now  Lieut.)  W.  J. 
Harding,  Gunner  {now 

Chief  Gunner)  I. 
Harrington,     Lieut. 

H.  E. 
Harrison,  Boatswain's 

Mate  J. 
Hart,  Lieut,  {now  Lt.- 

Gen.  Sir)  B.  C. 
Hartigan,  Sergt.  H.  . 
Hartley,  Surg. -Major 

{now  Lt.-Col.)  E.  B, 
Havelock,  Lieut.   H. 

M.  (late  Lieut. -Gen. 

Sir  H.  M.  Havelock- 

Allan,  Bart.) 
Hawkes,  Private  D.    . 
Hawthorne,  Bugler  R. 
Heaphy,  Major  C.  .    . 
Heatecote,  Lieut.  A. 

S. 
H EATON,  Private  W.  . 
Henderson,    Trooper 

H.S. 
Heneage,  Captain  (late 

Major)  C.  W. 
Henry,     Sergt. -Major 

(late  Captain)  A. 


23rd  R.  (Royal  Welsh 

Fusiliers) 
7th  R.  (Royal  Fusiliers) 

Royal  Navy    .... 
Royal  Marine  L.I.   .     . 

68th  R.  (Durham  L.L). 

Indian  Army  .... 

>>  j»       .... 

The  King's  (L'pool)  R. . 
9th  Lancers     .... 
4th  New  Zealand  Con- 
tingent 
Royal  Navy    .... 

Bengal  Artillery .    .    . 

Royal  Navy    .... 

Royal  Engineers .    .    . 

9th  Lancers     .... 
Cape  Mounted  Rifles    . 


Indian  Mutiny  1857 
Crimea  .     .    .  1855 


Indian  Mutiny  1857 
1900 


China  .  . 
Crimea  .  . 
Afghanistan 


1855 

1879 

1879 

South  Africa  .  1900 
Indian  Mutiny  1857 
South  Africa  .  1901 

Egypt    .     .    .  1882 

Indian  Mutiny  1857 

»        1857 

Afghanistan    .  1879 

Indian  Mutiny  1857 
Basutoland     .  1879 


10th  (Lines.)  R.   .    .    .    Indian  Mutiny  1857 


Rifle  Brigade  .... 
52nd  R.  (Oxf.  L.L)  .  . 
Auckland  Militia  .  . 
60th  R.  (King's  Royal 

Rifle  Corps) 
The  King's  (L'pool)  R.  . 
Bulawayo  Field  Force  . 

8th  Hussars     .... 

Royal  Artillery  .    .     . 


„  „        1858 

„        1857 

New  Zealand  .  1864 

Indian  Mutiny  1857 

South  Africa  .  1900 
Rhodesia    .    .  1896 

Indian  Mutiny  1858 

Crimea  .     .     .1854 


APPENDIX  D 


283 


Hewett,  Lieut,  (late 
Vice-Admiral  Sir)  W. 
N.  W. 

Hill,  Lieut.  A.  B,  {now 
Major  A.  R.  Hill- 
Walker) 

Hill,  Sergeant  S.    .    . 

Hills,  Lieut,  J.  {now 
Lieut.  •  Gen.  Sir  J. 
Hills- Johnes,  G.C.B.) 

Hinckley,  Seaman  G. 

Hitch,  Private  F.  .    . 

Hodge,  Private  S.  .  . 
Holland,  Sergeant  E. 
HoLLis,  Farrier  G.  .  . 
Hollowell,  Private  J. 

Holmes,  Private  J.  . 
Home,  Surgeon  {now 
Surg. -Gen.  Sir)  A.  D. 
Home,  Lieut.  D.  C.  . 
Hook,  Private  H.    .    . 

Hope,  Lieut,  {now  Lt.- 

Col.)  W. 
HORE-BUTHVEN,  Capt. 

Hon.  A.  G.  A. 
House,  Private  W.     . 
HOWSE,   Captain  {now 

Major)  N.  B. 
Hughes,    Private 

(afterwards  Corpl. )  M. 
Hum  PS  TON,    Private 

(afterwards  Sergt. )  R. 


Royal  Navy 


Crimea  . 


1854 


58th(Northampt.)R.   .     South  Africa  .  1881 


90th  R.  (Scottish  Rifles) 
Bengal  Horse  Artillery 


Royal  Navy    .... 

24th  R.  (S.  Wales 
Borderers) 

4th  West  India  R.    .    . 

Royal  Canad.  Dragoons 

8th  Hussars     .... 

78th  (Seaforth)  High- 
landers 

84th  (York  and  Lan.)R. 

90th  R.  (Scottish  Rifles) 

Bengal  Engineers     .     . 
24th     R.     (S.     Wales 

Borderers) 
7th  R.  (Royal  Fusiliers) 

Highland  Light  In- 
fantry 

Royal  Berks.  R.  .     .     . 

N.  S.  Wales  Med.  Staff 
Corps 

7th  R.  (Royal  Fusiliers) 

Rifle  Brigade  .... 


Indian  Mutiny  1857 
1857 


China     .     .     .1862 
Zululand    .     .  1879 

Gambia.     .     .  1866 

South  Africa  .  1900 

Indian  Mutiny  1858 

„        1857 

»        1857 
»        1857 

n        1857 
Zululand    .    .  1879 

Crimea  .     .     .  1855 

Soudan  .    .    .  1898 

South  Africa  .  1900 
»       .  1900 

Crimea  .     .     .1855 

„       ...  1866 


IND,  Shoe-Smith  A.  E. 
INGOUVILLE,  Captain  of 

Mast  G. 
INKSON,    Lieut,    {now 

Capt.  E.  T. 
INNES,  Lieut,  {now  Lt.  - 

Gen.)  J.  J.  M'L.  .     . 
Irwin,  Private  C.   .    . 


Royal  Horse  Artillery  . 
Royal  Navy    .... 


South  Africa 
Baltic     .    . 


1901 
1855 


Royal    Army 

Corps 
Bengal  Engineers    . 

53rd  R.  (Shrops.  L.I. 


Medical    South  Africa  .  1900 


Indian  Mutiny  1858 


1867 


284 


THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 


Jareett,  Lieut,    (late 

Col.)  H.  C.  T. 
Jee,  Surgeon  (late  Dep.  ■ 

Insp.-Gen.)  J. 
Jennings,  Koughrider 

E. 
Jerome,    Lieut,    (late 

Maj.-Gen.)  H.  E. 
Johnstone,  Capt.  B.  . 
Johnstone,  Stoker  W. 
Jones,  Lieut,  {now  Lt.  • 

Col.)  A.  S. 
Jones,  Captain  H.  M. 
Jones,  Private  R.   .    . 

Jones,  Private  W. .    . 

Kavanagh,      Assist. - 

Commiss.  T.  H. 
Keatinge,  Capt.  (late 

Gen.)  R.  H. 
Kellaway,  Boatswain 

J. 
Kells,    Lance  -  Corpl. 

(lateTrum.-Maj.)  R. 
Kenna,     Capt.     {now 

Lt.-Col.)P.  A. 
Kennedy,  Private  C. 
Kenny,  Private  J. 
Kerr,  Lieut.  W.  A.    . 
KiRBY,     Corpl.     {now 

Sergt.)F. 
Kirk,  Private  J.      .     . 
Knight,  Corp.  H.  J.  . 
Knox,  Sergt.  (late  Maj. ) 

J.  S. 

Lambert,   Sergt. -Maj. 

G. 
Lane,  Private  T.     .    . 
Laughnan,  Gunner  T. 
Lawrence,  Lieut.  S.H. 
Lawrence, Sergt.  {now 

Lieut.)  T. 


Indian  Army  .     .     .    . 

78th    (Seafortli)    High- 
landers 
Bengal  Artillery .     .     . 


Indian  Mutiny  1858 
1857 
1857 
,,  ,,         1858 


86th    R.    (Royal    Irish 

Rifles) 
Imperial  Light  Horse   .     South  Africa  .  1899 
Royal  Navy     .     .     . 
9th  Lancers     .     . 


Baltic     .     .     .  1854 
Indian  Mutiny  1857 


7th  R.  (Royal  Fusiliers)  Crimea  .  .  .  1855 

24th     R.      (S.      Wales  Zululand  .  .  1879 
Borderers) 

..                 ..  ,,  .  .  18/9 


Indian  Civil  Service 
Bombay  Artillery 
Royal  Navy    . 
9th  Lancers     . 
21st  Lancers   . 


Highland  L.I. 
53rd  R.  (Shrops. 
Indian  Army  . 
Royal  Engineers 


L.I 


10th  (Lincolnshire)  R. 
The  King's  (L'pool)  R. 
Scots  Guards  .    .     . 


84th  (York  and  Lanes.) 

R. 
67th  (Hampshire)  R.     . 
Bengal  Artillery      .     . 
32nd  R.(D.  of  Corn.  L.L) 
17th  Lancers  .... 


Indian  Mutiny  1857 

,,  ,,         1858 

Crimea  .    .     .  1855 

Indian  Mutiny  1857 

Khartoum  .     .1898 

South  Africa  .  1900 

Indian  Mutiny  1857 

„        1857 

South  Africa  .  1900 

Indian  Mutiny  1857 
South  Africa  .  1900 
Crimea  .     .     .  1854 

Indian  Mutiny  1857 

China     .     .     .1860 

Indian  Mutiny  1857 

,.        1857 

South  Africa  .  1900 


APPENDIX  D 


*8S 


Lawson,  Private  E.     . 
Le     Quesne,     Surg.- 

Capt.  (now  Maj. )  F.  S. 
Leach,  Capt.  {now  Lt.- 

Gen.)E.  P. 
Leet,       Major      (late 

Maj. -Gen. )W.  K. 
Leitch,  Col.-Sergt.  P. 
Leith,      Lieut,      (late 

Major)  J. 

LENDRIM  (or  LiNDRIM), 

Corporal  (afterwards 

Q.-M.-Sergt.)W.  J. 
Lennox,    Lieut.    (late 

Gen.  Sir)  W.  O. 
Lenon,     Lieut,     (late 

Major)  E.  H. 
Lindsay,  Lieut.  R.  J. 

(late  Lord  "Wantage) 
Lloyd,     Surg.  -  Major 

(noioCoL)  0.  E.  P. 
Lodge,  Gunner  I,    .    . 
Lucas,     Lieut,     {now 

Bear-Admiral)  C.  D. 
Lucas,  Col.-Sergt.  J.  . 
LUMLEY,  Major  C.  H. . 
Lyons,  Private  J.  .  . 
Lysons,    Lieut,    {noio 

Col.)H. 
Lyster,    Lieut,    {now 

Lt.-Gen.)  H.  H. 


Gordon  Highlanders     .  Dargai   .     . 

Royal    Army    Medical  Burma   .     . 

Corps 

Royal  Engineers  .        .  Afghanistan 

13th  R.  (Somerset)  L.  I. .  Zululand    . 


Royal  Engineers 
14th  Hussars  .     . 

Royal  Engineers 


n  n  •      • 

67th  (Hampshire)  R.    . 

Scots  Guards  .... 

Royal   Army    Medical 

Corps 
Royal  Horse  Artillery . 
Royal  Navy    .... 

40th  (S.  Lanes.)  R.  .  . 
97th  (West  Kent)  R.  . 
19th  (Yorkshire)  R.  . 
90th  R.  (Scottish  Rifles) 


1897 

1889 

1879 

1879 

Crimea  .     .     .  1855 
Indian  Mutiny  1858 

Crimea  .     .    .  1855 

„       ...  1854 

China     .    .    .  1860 

Crimea  .    .    .  1854 

Burma   .     .    .  1893 

South  Africa  .  1900 
Baltic     .     .     .  1854 

New  Zealand  .  1861 

Crimea  .     .     .  1855 

„       ...  1855 

Zululand     .     .  1879 


Indian  Army  ....    Indian  Mutiny  1858 


M'Bean,    Lieut,    (late 

Maj. -Gen.  )W. 
M'Corrie,  Private  C.  . 
M'Crea,  Surg.  J.  F.  . 
M'Dermond,  Private  J. 
M'Donell,  W.  F.  .  . 
M'Dougall,  Private  J. 
M'Gaw,  Lance-Sergt.  S. 

M 'Govern,  Private  J. 

M'Gregob,  Private  R. 


93rd  (Arg.  and  Suth.) 

Highlanders 
57th  (Middlesex)  R.      . 
Cape  Mounted  Yeomanry 
47th  (N.  Lanes.)  R.  .     . 
Indian  Civil  Service 
44th  (Essex)  R.    .     .     . 
42nd     (Black     Watch) 

Highlanders 
101st  R.  (Royal  Munster 

Fusiliers) 
Rifle  Brigade  .... 


Indian  Mutiny  1858 

Crimea  .  .  .1855 
Basutoland  .  1881 
Crimea  .  .  .  1854 
Indian  Mutiny  1857 
China  .  .  .  1860 
Ashanti.     .     .  1874 

Indian  Mutiny  1857 

Crimea  .    .    .  1855 


286 


THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 


M'GuiRE,  Sergt.  J. 

M'Hale,  Private  P.     . 

M'iNNES,  Gunner  H.  . 
M'Kechnie,  Sergt.  J. . 
M'Kenna,    Col. -Sergt. 

{now  Ensign)  E. 
M'Master,  Assist.- 

Surg.  V.  M. 
M'Neill,     Lieut. -Col. 

(late  Maj.-Gen.    Sir) 

J.  C. 
M'Pherson,     Col.- 

Sergt.  S. 
M 'Quirt,  Private  B.   . 
M'Wheeney,  Sergt.  W. 
Macdonald,     Col- 

Sergt.  (lateCapt.)H. 
Macintyre,  Major 

(late  Maj.-Gen.)  D. 
Mackay,  Private  D.    . 

Mack  A  Y,  Corporal  {now 

Lieut. )  J.  F. 
Mackenzie,  Sergeant 

{now  Capt.)  J. 
MacLean,  Lieut.  H.  L. 

S. 
MacManus,  Private  P. 

Macpherson,     Lieut. 

(late  Maj.-Gen.   Sir) 

H.  T. 
Madden,  Sergt. -Major 

A. 
Magner,  Drummer  M. 
Mahoney,  Sergt.  P.    . 

Maillard,  Surg.  W.  J. 
Malcolmson,     Lieut. 

J.  G. 
Malone,  Sergeant  J.  . 
Mangles,  R.  L.  . 


101st  R.  (Royal  Munster    Indian  Mutiny  1857 

Fusiliers) 
5th    R.     (Northumber-         „  „       1857 

land  Fusiliers) 
Bengal  Artillery ...  „  „       1857 

Scots  Guards  ....     Crimea  .     .     .  1854 
65th  (York  and  Lanes.)    New  Zealand  .  1863 

R. 
78th    (Seaforth)    High-    Indian  Mutiny  1857 

landers 
107th  (Royal  Sussex)  R.    New  Zealand  .  1864 


78th   (Seaforth)    High- 
landers 
95th  (Derbyshire)  R.     . 
44th  (Essex)  R.    .     .     . 
Royal  Engineers .    .    . 

Indian  Army  .... 

93rd  (Arg.   and  Suth.) 

Highlanders 
Gordon  Highlanders     . 

Seaforth  Highlanders  . 

Indian  Army  .... 

5th  R.  (Northumber- 
land Fusiliers) 

78th  (Seaforth)  High- 
landers 

41st  (Welsh)  R.   .     .     . 

33rd  (West  Riding)  R. 
102nd  R.  (Royal  Dublin 

Fusiliers) 
Royal  Navy    .... 
Indian  Army  .... 

13th  Hussars  .... 
Indian  Civil  Service     . 


Indian  Mutiny  1857 

„     .  1858 

Crimea  .     .    1854-5 

„        ...  1855 

Looshai .    .    .  1872 

Indian  Mutiny  1857 

South  Africa  .  1900 

Ashanti.     .     .  1900 

Upper  Swat    .  1897 

Indian  Mutiny  1857 

»        1857 

Crimea  .     .     .  1854 

Abyssinia  .     .1868 
Indian  Mutiny  1857 

Crete      .    .     .  1898 
Persia    .     .     .  1857 

Crimea  .     .     .1854 
Indian  Mutiny  1857 


APPENDIX  D  287 

Manley,  Assist. -Surg.     Royal  Artillery  .    .    .    New  Zealand  .  1864 

(late  Surg. -Gen.)  W. 

G.  N. 
Mansel-Jones,  Capt.    W.  Yorkshire  R.      .     .    South  Africa  .  1900 

a 

Marling,  Lieut,  {now    King's  Royal  Rifle  Corps   Soudan  .     .     .  1884 

CoDP.S, 
Marshall,     Q.-M.-S.    19th  Hussars  ....         ,,      ...  1884 

{now  Major)  W.  T.    . 
Martin-Leake, Surg.-   South     African     Con-    South  Africa  .  1902 

Capt.  A.  stabulary 

Martineau,  Sergt.  H.    Protectorate  Regiment        „  „       .1899 

E. 
Masterson,       Lieut.    Devonshire  R ,         „       .  1900 

{now  Major)  J.  E.  I. 
Maude,  Captain  (late    Royal  Artillery  .    .    .    Indian  Mutiny  1857 

Col.)F.  C. 
Maude,    Major    (late    3rd  (East  Kent)  R.  .    .    Crimea  .    .    .  1855 

Sir)  F.  F. 
Maxwell,  Lieut,  {now    Indian  Army  ....    South  Africa  .  1900 

Lt.-Col.)  F.  A. 
Maygar,  Lieut.  L.  C.    Victorian  Mount.  Rifles        „  „       .  1901 

Mayo,  Midshipman  A.     Royal  (Indian)  Navy    .     Indian  Mutiny  1857 
Meiklejohn,  Captain    Gordon  Highlanders     .     South  Africa  .  1899 

M.  F.  M. 
Melliss,  Captain  {now    Indian  Army  ....    Ashanti      .     .  1900 

Lt.-Col.)  C.  J. 
Melvill,  Lieut.  T.      .     24th  R.  (S.W.  Borderers)  Zululand     .     .1879 
MiLBANKE,       Captain    10th  Hussars  ....     South  Africa  .  1900 

{now  Major)  Sir  J.  P. 
Millar,  Private  D.     .    42nd     (Black     Watch)    Indian  Mutiny  1859 

Highlanders 
Miller,  Lt.-Col.  F.     .    Royal  Artillery  .    .    .    Crimea  .    .    .  1854 
Miller,        Conductor    Bengal  Ordnance  Corps    Indian  Mutiny  1857 

(late  Major)  J. 
Mitchell,  Captain  of    Royal  Navy    ....    New  Zealand  .  1864 

the  Foretop  S. 
MONAGHAN,  Trumpeter  2nd  Dragoon  Guards    .     Indian  Mutiny  1858 

T. 
Monger,  Private  G.      .  23rd  R.  (Royal  Welsh         „  „        1857 

Fusiliers) 
Moore,     Lieut,     {now    Indian  Army  ....    Persia    .     .    .  1857 

Major-Gen.)  A.  T. 
Moore,  Colonel  H.  G.      88th  R.  (Conn.  Rangers)    South  Africa  .  1877 


288 


THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 


MORLEY,  Private  S.     . 
MouAT,  Surgeon  (late 

Surg. -Gen.  Sir)  J. 
MOYNIHAN,  Sergt.  A. . 
MULLANE,  Sergt.  {now 

Sergt.  -Major)  P. 
MULLINS,    Capt.    {7101V 

Major)  C.  H. 
MuNRO,  Col. -Sergt.  J.l 

Murphy,  Private  M.  . 
Murphy,  Private  T.  . 

Murray,  Lance-Corpl. 

{now  Corporal)  J. 
Murray,  Sergeant  J. . 
Mylott,  Private  P.     . 

Napier,  Sergeant  W. 
Nash,  Corporal  W.      . 
Nesbitt,  Capt.  B.  C. , 

Newell,  Private  R.    . 

NiCKERSON,  Lieut. 

{now  Capt.)  W.  H.  S. 
Norman,  Private  W.  . 
Norwood,  Sec.  Lieut. 

{now  Captain)  J. 
Nurse,  Corporal  G.  E. 

O'Connor,  Sergt.  {now 

Maj.-Gen.)  L. 
Odgers,  Seaman  W.    . 
O'Hea,  Private  T.  .     . 
Olpherts,  Capt.  (late 

Gen.  Sir)  W. 
Osborne,  Private  J.   . 
O'Toole,  Sergeant  E.  . 
Owens,      Corporal 

(afterwards  Sergt. )  J. 
Oxenham,  Corpl.  W.  . 

Palmer,  Private  A.    . 
Park,  Sergeant  J.  .    . 


Army  Service  Corps  . 
6th  Dragoons  .... 

90th  R.  (Scottish  Rifles) 
Royal  Horse  Artillery . 

Imperial  Light  Horse  . 

93rd  (Arg.  and  Suth.) 
Highlanders 

Army  Service  Corps     . 

24th  R.  (S.  Wales  Bor- 
derers) 

94th  R.  (Connaught 
Rangers) 

68th  R.  (Durham  L.I.) 

84th  (York  and  Lan.)R. 

13th  R.  (Somerset  L.L) 
Rifle  Brigade  .... 
Mashonaland  Mounted 

Police 
9th  Lancers     .... 
Royal    Army   Medical 

Corps 
7th  R.  (Royal  Fusiliers) 
5th  Dragoon  Guards     . 

Royal  Field  Artillery  . 

23rd  R.  (Royal  Welsh 

Fusiliers) 
Royal  Navy    .... 
Rifle  Brigade  .... 
Bengal  Artillery .     .    . 

58th  (Northampton)  R. 
Frontier  Light  Horse  . 
49th  (Royal  Berks.)  R. 


Indian  Mutiny  1855 
Crimea  .    .     .  1854 

...  1855 
Afghanistan    .  1880 

South  Africa  .  1899 

Indian  Mutiny  1857 

»»  >>         18o8 

Andaman  I.     .  1867 

South  Africa  .  1881 

New  Zealand  .  1864 
Indian  Mutiny  1857 

Indian  Mutiny  1858 

1858 
Rhodesia    .     .  1896 

Indian  Mutiny  1858 
South  Africa  .  1900 

Crimea  .     .     .  1854 
South  Africa  .  1899 


j>  >> 


1899 

Crimea  .    .     .  1855 

New  Zealand  .  1860 
Canada  .  .  .1866 
Indian  Mutiny  1857 

South  Africa  .  1881 
Zululand  .  .  1879 
Crimea  .     .     .  1854 


32nd  R.(D.  of  Com.  L.L)    Indian  Mutiny  1857 


Grenadier  Guards    . 
77th  (Middlesex)  E. 


Crimea  .     .     .1854 
.    .    1854-5 


APPENDIX  D 


289 


Park,  Gunner  J.     .    . 
Parker,  Sergeant  C.  . 
Parkes,  Private  S. 
Parsons,  Lieut.  F.  N. 
Paton,  Sergeant  J. 

Pearson,  Private  J.    . 

Pearson,  Private  J.    . 

Peel,  Captain  (Sir)  W. 

Pennell,  Lieut.  {no2V 
Capt.)H.S. 

Percy, Lieut. -Col.  Hon. 
H.  H.  M.  (afterwards 
Lord  Percy) 

Perie,  Sapper  J.     .     . 

Phillips,  Ensign  E.  A. 
L. 

Phipps-Hornby,  Moj. 
{noiv  Col.)  E.  J. 

PiCKARD,  Lieut.  A.  F. 

Pitcher,  Lieut,  (late 
Capt.)H.  AV. 

Pitts,  Private  J.    .     . 

Prendergast,  Lieut, 
{now  Gen.  Sir)  H.N.  D. 

Prettyjohn,  Colour- 
Sergeant  J. 

Pride,  Captain  of  After- 
Guard  T. 

Probyn,  Captain  {now 
General  Sir)  D.  M. 

Prosser,  Private  J.     . 

PURCELL,  Private  J.     . 

Pye,  Sergt. -Major  C.  . 


Bengal  Artillery .  .  . 
Royal  Horse  Artillery  . 
4th  Hussars  .... 
Essex  Regiment  .  .  . 
93rd  (Arg.   and  Suth.) 

Highlanders 
86th    R.    (Royal    Irish 

Rifles) 
8th  Hussars     .... 
Royal  Navy    .... 
Sherwood      Foresters 

(Notts  and  Derby  R.) 
Grenadier  Guards    .     . 


Royal  Engineers  . 
Indian  Army  .     . 


Indian  Mutiny  1857 
South  Africa  .  1900 
Crimea  .  .  .1854 
South  Africa  .  1900 
Indian  Mutiny  1857 

1858 

,,  ,,        1858 

Crimea  .  .  1854-5 
Dargai  .     .     .  1897 

Crimea  .     .     .  1854 


„       ...  1855 
Indian  Mutiny  1857 


Royal  Horse  Artillery  .     South  Africa  .  1900 


Royal  Artillery  .  .  . 
Indian  Army  .... 

Manchester  Regiment  . 
Madras  Engineers    .     . 

Royal  Marine  L.I.    .     . 

Royal  Navy    .... 

Indian  Army  .... 

1st  R.  (Royal  Scots)  . 
9th  Lancers  .... 
53rd  R.  (Shrops.  L.I.)  . 


New  Zealand  .  1863 
Umbeyla    .     .1863 

South  Africa  .  1900 
Indian  Mutiny  1857 

Crimea  .     .     .  1854 

Japan     .     .     .  1864 

Indian  Mutiny  1857 

Crimea  .     .     .  1855 

Indian  Mutiny  1857 

»        1857 


Raby,      Lieut.      {now    Royal  Navy    ....     Crimea   .     .     .  1855 

Bear-Admiral)  H.  J. 
Ramage,  Sergt.  H. 


Bamsden,         Trooper 

{now  Lieut. )  H.  E. 
Ba  VENHILL,  Private  G. 
Raynor,  Captain  W.  . 

19 


2nd     Dragoons     (Scots 

Greys) 
Protectorate  Regiment 

Royal  Scots  Fusiliers   . 
Indian  Army  .... 


...  1854 

South  Africa  .  1899 

it  »»        •  1899 

Indian  Mutiny  1857 


290 


THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 


Reade,  Surg,  (late 
Surg. -Gen.)  H.  T. 

REEDy  Capt.  {now 
Major)  H.  L. 

Reeves,  Seaman  T.     . 

Rennie,  Lieut,  (late 
Lieut. -Col.  )W. 

Renny,  Lieut,  (late 
Maj.-Gen.)  G.  A. 

Reynolds,  Surg.-Maj. 
{now  Brig.  -  Surg.  - 
Lieut. -Col.)  J.  H. 

Reynolds,  Private  W. 

Richardson,  Sergt. 
A.  H.  L. 

Richardson,  Private 
G. 

RiCKARD,  Q.-M.  W.     . 

RiDGEWAY,  Capt.  {now 
Col.)R.K. 

ROBARTS,  Chief  Gun- 
ner J. 

Roberts,  Lieut.  F.  S. 
{now  Field-Marshal 
Lord  Roberts) 

Roberts,  Lieut.  Hon. 
F.  H.  S. 

Roberts,  Private  J.  R. 

Robertson,  Sergt. - 
Maj.  {now  Lieut. )  W. 

Robinson,  Seaman  E. . 

Roddy,   Ensign  (after- 
wards Col.)  P. 
Rodgers,  Private  G.    . 
Rogers,  Sergt.  J.   .    . 

Rogers,  Lieut,  (late 
Maj.-Gen.)  R.  M. 

ROLLAND,  Capt.  G.  M. 

Rosamond,  Sergt.  - 
Maj.  M. 

Ross,  Corporal  J.     .     . 

Rowlands,  Capt.  {now 
Gen.  Sir)  H. 


6l8t  (Gloucester)  R. 

Royal  Field  Artillery  . 

Royal  Navy    .... 
90th  R.  (Scottish  Rifles) 

Bengal  Horse  Artillery 

Royal    Army    Medical 
Corps 


Scots  Guards  .     . 
Strathcona's  Corps 

34th  (Border)  R.  . 

Royal  Navy    .    . 
Indian  Army  .     . 


Royal  Navy    . 
Bengal  Artillery 


King's      Royal      Rifle 

Corps 
9th  Lancers     .... 
Gordon  Highlanders     . 

Royal  Navy    .... 
Indian  Army  .... 

71st  R.  (Highland  L.I.) 
South     African      Con- 
stabulary 
44th  (Essex)  R.    .     .     . 

Indian  Army  .... 


Royal  Engineers 
41st  (Welsh)  R. 


Indian  Mutiny  1857 

South  Africa  .  1899 

Crimea  .     .     .  1854 
Indian  Mutiny  1857 

,,        1857 
Zululand     .     .1879 

Crimea  .     .     .  1854 
South  Africa  .  1900 

Indian  Mutiny  1859 

Crimea  .     .     .  1855 
Naga  Hills      .  1879 

Crimea  .     .     .  1855 

Indian  Mutiny  1858 

South  Africa  .  1899 

Indian  Mutiny  1857 
South  Africa  .  1899 

Indian  Mutiny  1858 
1858 


>*  >> 


„         1858 
South  Africa  .  1901 


China     .     .     .  1860 

Somaliland      .  1903 

Indian  Mutiny  1857 

Crimea  .    .    .  1865 
1864 


APPENDIX  D 

291 

KUSHE,  Sergt.  -Major  D. 

9th  Lancers     .... 

Indian  Mutiny 

1858 

Russell,  Captain  (late 

Grenadier  Guards    .     . 

Crimea  .     .     . 

1854 

Lt.-Col.)SirC. 

Ryan,  Private  J.     .     . 

102nd  R.  (Royal  Dublin 

Indian  Mutiny  1857 

Fusiliers) 

Ryan,  Lance-Corpl.  J. 

65th  (York  &  Lanes.)  R. 

New  Zealand  . 

1863 

Ryan,  Drummer  M.     . 

101st  R.  (Royal  Munster 
Fusiliers) 

Indian  Mutiny 

1857 

Salkeld,  Lieut.  P.      . 

Bengal  Engineers    .     . 

>>                      5> 

1857 

Salmon,    Lieut,    {now 

Royal  Navy    .... 

>>                      >> 

1857 

Admiral  of  the  Fleet 

Sir)  NOWELL 

Sartorius,  Capt.  {now 

59th(East  Lanes.)  R.   . 

Afghanistan    . 

1879 

Maj.-Gen.)E.  H. 

Sartorius,  Capt.  {now 

Indian  Army  .... 

Ashanti .     .     . 

1874 

Maj.-Gen.)R.  W. 

SCHIESS,  Corporal  F.  C. 

Natal  Native  Forces     . 

Zululand     .     . 

1879 

SCHOFIELD,  Capt.  {now 

Royal  Field  Artillery  . 

South  Africa   . 

1899 

Maj.)H.N. 

SCHOLEFiELD,SeamanM.  Royal  Navy    .     .     .     . 

Crimea  .     .     . 

1854 

Scott,    Captain    (late 

Indian  Army  .... 

Quetta   .     .     . 

1877 

Maj.)  A. 

Scott,  Private  R.    .     . 

Manchester    Regiment 

South  Africa  . 

1900 

Scott,  Sergt.  {noio  Lt.- 

Cape  Mounted  Rifles    . 

Basutoland      . 

1879 

Col.)R.  G. 

Seeley,  Seaman  W.   . 

Royal  Navy    .... 

Japan    ... 

1864 

Sellar,     Lance-Corpl. 

72nd  (Seaforth)    High- 

Afghanistan   . 

1879 

(late  Sergt.)  G. 

landers 

Shaul,  Corporal  {now 

Highland  Light  Infantry 

'  South  Africa  . 

1899 

Sergeant)  J.  D.  F. 

Shaw,  Capt.  (late  Maj.- 

18th  (Royallrish)  R.    . 

New  Zealand  . 

1865 

Gen.)H. 

Shaw,  Sapper  S.      .    . 

Rifle  Brigade  .... 

Indian  Mutiny 

1858 

Shebbeare,  Capt.  R.  H. 

Indian  Army  .... 

>>         >» 

1857 

Sheppard,  Boatswain  J. 

Royal  Navy    .... 

Crimea  .     .     . 

1855 

Shields,  Corporal  R.  . 

23rd  R.  (Roy.  Welsh  Fus.] 

1        „        ... 

1855 

Simpson,  Q.-M. -Sergt. 

42nd     (Black     Watch) 

Indian  Mutiny 

1858 

(late  Major)  J. 

Highlanders 

Sims,  Private  J.  J.  .    . 

34th  (Border)  R.  .     .     . 

Crimea  .     .     . 

1855 

Sinnott,  L.-Corpl.  J.  . 

84th  (York  &  Lanes.  )R. 

Indian  Mutiny 

'  1857 

Sleavon,  Corporal  M. 

Royal  Engineers      .     . 

>>         >> 

1858 

Smith,  Gunner  A.  .     . 

Royal  Artillery  .     .     . 

Soudan  .     .     . 

1885 

Smith,  Lieut.  C.  L.     . 

Duke  of  Cornwall's  L.I. 

Somaliland 

,  1904 

292 


THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 


Smith,    Captain    (late    43rd  R.  (Oxf.  L.I.) 

Col.)F.  A. 
Smith,  Lance-Corpl.  H. 
Smith,  Corporal  J.  .    . 
Smith,  Sergeant  J.  .    . 
Smith,  Private  J.    .    . 


Smith,      Lieut,     {noio 

Major)  J.  M. 
Smith,  Corporal  P. 
Smyth,   Captain   {noio 

Major)  N.  M. 
Spence,    Troop-Sergt.- 

Major  D. 
Spence,  Private  E. .    . 


52nd  R.  (Oxf.  L.I.)  .  . 
The  Buffs  (East  Kent  R.) 
Bengal  Engineers  .  . 
102nd  R.  (Royal  Dublin 

Fusiliers) 
Indian  Army  .... 


17th  (Leicester)  R.    . 
2nd  Dragoon  Guards 

9th  Lancers     .     .     . 


Stagpoole, 
D. 

StANLACK,  Private 
{now  Sergeant)  W. 

Stewart,  Captain  (late 
Major  Sir)  W.  G.  D. 

Strong,  Private  G.      . 

Sullivan,  Boatswain's 
Mate  J. 

Sutton,  Bugler  W.     . 

Sylvester,  Assistant- 
Surgeon  W,  H.  T. 
Symons,  Sergeant  G.    . 


42nd     (Black     Watch) 
Highlanders 
Drummer    57th  (Middlesex)  R. 


Coldstream  Guards  .     . 

93rd  (Arg.   and  Suth.) 

Highlanders 
Coldstream  Guards  .     . 
Royal  Navy    .... 

60th  R.  (King's  Royal 

Rifle  Corps) 
23rd  R.  (Royal  Welsh 

Fusiliers) 
Royal  Artillery   . 


Taylor,     Captain    of    Royal  Navy    . 


Forecastle  J. 
Teesdale,  Lieut,  (late 

Maj.-Gen.  Sir)  C.  C. 
Temple,  Assist. -Surg. 

{now  Lt. -Col.)  W. 
Tha  ckera  y,       Lieut. 

{noiv  Col.  Sir)  E.  T. 
Thomas,  Bombardier  J. 
Thompson,  Lance-Cor- 

poral  A. 
Thompson,  Private  J. 


Royal  Artillery 


Bengal  Engineers 

Bengal  Artillery  . 
42nd     (Black     Watch 

Highlanders 
60th  R.  (King's  Royal 

Rifle  Corps) 


New  Zealand  .  1864 

Indian  Mutiny  1857 

N.  W.  F.  India  1897 

Indian  Mutiny  1857 

1857 

Hunza-Nagar     1891 

Crimea  .     .     .  1855 
Khartoum  .     .  1898 

Indian  Mutiny  1858 

„  „  1858 

New  Zealand  .  1863 

Crimea  .     .     .  1854 

Indian  Mutiny  1857 


Crimea  . 


.  1855 
.  1855 


Indian  Mutiny  1857 
Crimea  .  .  .  1855 
1855 


Crimea 


New  Zealand 


1855 


1855 


1863 


Indian  Mutiny  1857 

1857 
,,    ,,    1868 

1867 


APPENDIX  D 


293 


Tombs,     Major     (late 

Maj.-Gen.  Sir)  H. 
TOWSE,  Captain  E.B.B. 
Travers,   Major  (late 

Gen.)  J. 
TRAYNORy  Sergt.  W.  B. 
Trevor,  Captain  (noiv 

Maj.-Gen.)  W.  S. 
Trewavas,  Seaman  J. 
Turner,   Lieut,  {noiv 

Col.)  E.  E.  W. 
Turner,  Private  S.     . 

Tytler,    Lieut,    (late 
Lt.-Col.)J.  A. 


Bengal  Artillery .     .     . 

Gordon  Highlanders     . 
Indian  Army  .... 

West  Yorkshire  R.  .     . 
Royal  Engineers  .     .     . 

Royal  Navy    .... 

Royal  Canadian  Dra- 
goons 

60th  R.  (King's  Royal 
Rifle  Corps) 

Indian  Army  .... 


ViCKERY,  Private  {no  10    Dorsetshire  R.     .     .     . 

Corporal)  S. 
Vousden,  Captain  (late    Indian  Army  .... 

Col.)  W.J. 

Wadeson,  Ensign  (late    75th     (Gordon)    High- 
Col.)  R.  landers 
Walker,  Lieut,    (late    30th  (East  Lanes. )  R.   . 

Gen.  Sir)  M. 
Walker,  Captain  {now   Indian  Army  .... 

Lt.-Col.)  W.  G. 
Waller,   Lieut,    (late        ,,  ,,       .    .     .     . 

Lt.-Col.)  W.  F.  F. 
Waller,  Col. -Sergt.  G.    60th  R.  (King's  Royal 

Rifle  Corps) 
Walters,  Sergt.  G.     .    49th  (Royal  Berks.)  R. 
AVantage,  Lord.    See  Lindsay. 

Yorkshire  L.I.     .     . 
78th   (Seaforth)    High 

landers 
8th  Hussars     .     .     . 
80th  (S.  Staff'.)  R.     . 
Indian  Army  ... 


Ward,  Private  C.  .  . 
Ward,  Private  H.  .    . 

Ward,  Sergeant  J. .  . 
Wassall,  Private  S.  . 
Watson,  Lieut,  {now 

Gen.  Sir)  J. 
Watson,   Lieut,   {now 

Capt.)  T.  C. 
Wheatley,  Private  F. 
Whirlpool,  Private  F. 


Royal  Engineers . 

Rifle  Brigade  .    . 
109th  (Leinster)  R. 


Indian  Mutiny  1857 

S.  Africa  .  1899, 1900 
Indian  Mutiny  1857 

South  Africa  .  1901 
Bhotan .     .     .  1865 

Crimea  .     .     .  1855 
South  Africa  .  1900 

Indian  Mutiny  1857 

,,  ,,        1858 


Dargai   .     .     .  1897 
Afghanistan    .  1879 

Indian  Mutiny  1857 
Crimea  .  .  .  1854 
Somaliland  .  1903 
Indian  Mutiny  1858 
,,  1857 
Crimea  .     .     .  1854 

South  Africa  .  1900 
Indian  Mutiny  1857 

„        1868 

Zululand     .     .  1879 
Indian  Mutiny  1857 

Mamund     .    .  1897 

Crimea  .     .     .  1854 
Indian  Mutiny  1858 


294  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  V.C. 

Whitchurch,    Surg.-    Indian  Medical  Service     Chitral  .     .     .  1895 

Capt.  {now  Maj. )  H.  F. 
White,    Major     {now    92nd    (Gordon)     High-    Afghanistan    .  1879 

Field  -  Marshal    Sir)        landers 

G.S. 
Wilkinson,    Bombar-    Royal  Marine  Artillery    Crimea  .    .    .  1855 

dier  T. 
Williams,  Private  J.     24th     R.     (S.      Wales    Zululand     .     .  1879 

Borderers) 
WiLMOT,  Captain  (late    Rifle  Brigade  ....     Indian  Mutiny  1858 

Colonel  Sir)  H. 
Wilson,     Capt.    {now    Royal  Navy    ....     Soudan  .     .     .  1884 

Admiral  Sir)  A.  K.  . 
Wood,      Lieut,      {now    17th  Lancers   ....     Indian  Mutiny  1858 

Field- Marshal      Sir) 

H.E. 

Wood,  Capt.  (late  Col.)  Indian  Army  .     .     .     .     Persia    .     .     .  1856 

J.  A. 

Wooden,    Sergt.-Maj.  17th  Lancers  ....    Crimea  .    .    .  1854 

(lateQ.-M.)C. 

Wright,  Private  A.    .  77th  (Middlesex)  R.      .         „        .     .    1854-6 

Wright,  Capt.  W.  D.  Royal  West  Surrey  R.      Sokoto   .     .     .  1903 

Wylly,  Lieut.  G.G.E.  Tasmanian       Imperial    South  Africa  .  1900 
Bushmen 

Young,    Sergt.- Major    Cape  Police     ....     South  Africa  .  1901 

{noiv  Major)  A . 
Young,     Lieut,     (late    Royal  Navy    ....    Indian  Mutiny  1857 

Commander)  T.  J. 
Younger,  Capt.  D.  R.     Gordon  Highlanders     .    South  Africa  .  1900 


Printed  by  Morrison  Sl  Gibb  Limited,  Edinburgh. 


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